The Crow
by yorushihe
Summary: While Violet falls, Clow Reed is ready to catch her. Problem is, he is not ready to let her go anytime soon... Or the story in which Clow Reed finally has a chance to be human for once and Violet gets the chance to rest. Fem!Harry, VioletClow, AU, mature themes.
1. Prologue

AN: No, I couldn't resist doing this. Yes, I know I own updating a couple of stories but…

Anyways! Here are the obvious warnings. Fem!Harry called Violet, ClowViolet pairing. Loosely based on Brida, by Paul Coelho – mainly the idea of the plot – a young witch is soul mate to powerful, wise older man.

 **Ahh.. and this is rated M for a reason. If you're not mentally old enough to deal with adult stuff, don't read, I don't want to ruin your childhood.**

Additional warning goes: power plays, shameless seductions, nudity, horribly constructed magical theories, a number of OCs (supporting roles only), US/UK English mesh up (and the consequential butchering of both), mentions of incest, mentions of rape, violence, possible OOCness, EWE, shifting POVs, fem!Harry.

Also! I dug a bit about Clow Reed's character, and aside from some really vague stuff – he's half Chinese half English (mother from the Li clan, dad is a powerful, freelance first gen English magician) he has demi-god like power, becomes broody later in his life, creates the Clow Cards with Sakura and his own death in mind, has his finger in a lot of pies, his ex-girlfriends need therapy and is basically CLAMP universe's Chuck Norris – so this fic might also double as a Clow Reed character study on my part, just bear with it ahha!

Basic overview:  
Arc 01: The witch from another world: Violet drops on Clow's arm and he decides to keep her.  
Arc 02: Clow plays with an ex-student of his, who bites more than she can chew.  
Arc 03: Violet leaves… but doesn't arrive. Clow rescues her and tries to put his feelings in order.

The Crow  
(First Arc: The witch from another world)

This story starts with Clow Reed.

The most powerful sorcerer alive.

Clow Reed lived in the outskirts of London. A large state that offered both seclusion and privacy along with a mansion large enough to house his impressive library and all the magical objects he's collected over the years, plus a high number of unused rooms. The few servants he maintained were aware of his peculiarities, and were respectful and fearful of his powers – they served him well enough, since it was only he and the limited number of apprentices he entertained for the magical circles.

The forest and gardens around his house were grown out of his magic and the land itself was loyal to him, guarding his secrets and life as faithful, ethereal guards.

Clow Reed is also a teacher.

Clow didn't exactly trust his students, and why should he? The young aspiring mages were mostly sent by their families with the hopes of either enticing him into marriage or a true magical Artificer Apprentice bond. But he did teach them innocuous things, it was in the interest of every mage keeping the knowledge alive.

Having the gift of prescience allowed Clow to catch glimpses of the future and it wasn't… encouraging.

At least until Sakura was born.

Oddly, however, a new vector was about to come. Anticipation filled him from head to toe, a shiver of delight rose from the back of his spine and made the hairs on the base of his neck stand on end… something was coming, and he was eager to meet it.

Until de Dreams started… Or rather, _the dreams didn't come as they should_.

One of the curses he's forced to bear is such: Clow Reed has the power of prescience, he can see into the past, the future and if he wants to, sideways into different worlds.

 _Those_ particular dreams were painful. Not in the sense that they brought pain, but the sheer longing the aftermath of such dreams left in him had his chest aching in a peculiar way, and his hands reaching for something they couldn't grasp – beyond all the powers he wielded.

A mysterious scent teasing his nose with future memories of sunlight and laughter, a feather-like touch at the base of his neck that made shivers erupt all over his back, a color he could barely make out from the corner of his eyes beyond all other colors of the rainbow.

 _Bright, gem colored eyes staring up at him with utmost trust, a hand snugly holding his own and the distant sound of childish giggles…_

It left a taste of powerlessness that did not belong in a man such as him. He'd wake up bereft, cold and _needing_ , as if he was supposed to have something he forgot about, as if _something_ was supposed to be there, a warmth long gone but which left vestiges of heat in the midst of a cold winter night – that feeling absolutely _throbbed._

Clow Reed, the most powerful sorcerer of his time and times to come – he had the stretches of the universe at his fingertips, time and space bending to his will, the elements singing and dancing to his tune and the knowledge even stars envied. Oh, prescience is a terrible, wondrous gift, and if he was even a little bit weaker in character, he'd have folded to his own powers a long time ago.

He'd make a magnificently terrifying villain, should he put his mind into it. Truly, he's played the villainous part before, _plenty_ of times, but never put his heart into it – most times he'd exposed his _dark_ side were necessary for a fair amount of scheming he did often behind the scenes.

As it was, he _knew_ his future.

He saw the path his descendants would trail, he saw where his legacy would belong – he saw where it was _needed_ , and so he worked toward that end, seeking solace in the fact that he made the right choices and loved almost all the right things. He thought his powers were more of a curse than a blessing until they brightened the path to _her_. Sakura Kinomoto, a daughter of his line and the inheritor of his will – a little girl who'd take what was his into her little hands and transform the very _universe_ to her image. A small tendril of that light touched him and he was convinced to sacrifice everything to that end, to be just another wheel in the grand scheme of things.

He's content in his place.

A powerful magician and sorcerer such as he _needs_ to have a purpose if they don't want to go insane. And he's indeed on his way to insanity if his own body, mind and soul were craving the virtual unknown he's never sought before. Used to his power over things, Clow fell utterly powerless under the message his dreams were leaving him.

Something _is_ coming.

And it might be the best or the worst thing that ever happened to him. _Privately, Clow is divided in what he really wants to happen._

XxxxXxxxX

TBC.


	2. Part I

All warnings were given last chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(First Arc: The witch from another world)  
(Part 01)

XxxxXxxxX

Dark blue eyes, with a silvery sheen stared back at him from behind thin framed glasses. A peaceful smile graced his thin, masculine lips even as he fought down a frown. A moment later, from behind his image in the mirror, another image formed.

"Yuuko" Clow called slowly, deep voice sounding clear and resonating like a northern wind.

' _And so we meet again'_ He thought lightly, twisting down the string of predictions that always followed this particular person around. Their _future_ is tied together so tightly it was inescapable.

"Clow" The voice of an old friend called out from the mirror, his reflection being superimposed by another's – that of a woman about his age, with slender limbs, Asian features and long, draping hair. Yuuko mirrored his smile with her own impish one. "It is good to see you"

"And I, you" He's known Yuuko for years now – she made a name for herself in the magical communities as a rare artifacts dealer, though her talents lay more toward divination like him. It was this that brought them together, and kept them together as lovers for a while. Now they were good friends despite the deep love she still felt for him – their romance was not one that's meant to _be,_ however. "Is this just a social call?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

 _Mismatched eyes, one blue, a shade lighter than his and another a molten gold. A familiar face on a different body. Inexperience and eagerness. Cursed powers, but this time Yuuko would be the one to guide –_ Clow fought down his powers once more, ignoring the rings of a name echoing nonstop – _Watanuki Kimihiro – your possible descendant –_ and had to push back his mental lists of what _meddling_ was necessary to make the boy's existence a reality.

Yuuko's lips twitched up, he could see in her wine colored eyes a hint of humor. "Oh my Clow, you must be losing your touch, it is rare that I have the opportunity to surprise you" She obviously knew something he didn't. Fact that was confirmed with what she said next. "Having any interesting dreams lately?"

He allowed a graceful tilt of his head in acknowledgement, Yuuko deserved that much. She's someone he could trust, he'd save her life one day and she needed him to do it for the great scheme of things. Not yet.

"Perhaps. Though I find myself quite unable to discern the meanings of my dreams as of late" More like they have been confusingly erratic. ' _Not even the cards have yielded results'_ And he'd tried every bit of divination he could possibly devise without resorting to the shadiest means or sacrificing his already loose morals.

"I know… just as you know that there are no coincidences, only-"

"Fate" Clow muttered under his breath, Yuuko shot him a smirk for it.

"-Inevitability" She finished as if he hadn't interrupted, giving him a playfully reproachful look. "Whatever is in store for you, it is coming soon. You should prepare a room for it"

"I know how to play host, that is not all you wanted to say" He pointed out, smothering the sharp sting of irritation just as it rose. It would be no good to get frustrated over Yuuko's tendencies toward the dramatics. She's a witch, that's what she does. _And_ she is giving advice for _free_ , he'd not scorn the value of her words.

 _There is another witch in his life. Dark copper colored curls sliding through his fingers. He likes playing with her hair, the strands shone like blood under the sunlight. This witch belongs in the sunlight, as_ _ **Cerberus**_ _likes reminding him often enough._

' _It must be killing Yuuko inside...'_ Clow realized this. She had an idea about what his dreams were about, and they didn't fit Yuuko's ideals.

The beautiful woman's red painted lips widened into a mysterious grin. "You know me so well, Clow… I didn't see much, but what I saw is more than you will ever be able to, indeed"

"Why can't I see for my own?" He questioned, aware that if anyone had an answer it was the traveling witch.

"Don't be mistaken, old friend, I cannot see clearly either…no, not just us. I've been consulted by more than one family over what is coming, no diviner seem to grasp this oncoming event with precision" She divulged seriously, her eyes hard from behind the mirror's veil. "But I've been able to see that whatever it is, it is for you and you alone – be careful Clow. And prepare a room"

' _Prepare a room. She's said that twice. So the oncoming event is a_ _ **person**_ _and someone who will stay under my hospitality as well… Is this really happening?'_ The sorcerer wondered with a faint feeling of _wonder_ ' _Is there really something, someone, out there who I cannot_ _ **see**_ _?'_

"Thank you, Yuuko" He told her at last, letting his old friend scan his expression, blanking his face so no feeling would become apparent. The witch shot him an understanding glance, before closing the connection between them, his mirror showing him his reflex once more.

Ignoring his pale face – he's always been pale, and the way a few strands of hair escaped their confine at the back of his neck to frame his cat-like eyes, Clow stared deeply into his own image, trying to come to terms with his own feelings. Everything he's built and was preparing to build was a castle of cards, a gust of wind might make it all fall apart, and the joy he felt in his future daughter, Sakura, might crumble so very easily.

"You silly old sorcerer" He told himself. "Weather this storm like you did many others, you will not break in the face of adversity" His image uplifted, blue eyes with a silvery tint meeting their twins, and as he watched his image bloom with a warm, powerful and secretive smile, the sorcerer felt his confidence rising again, higher than ever.

He'd own his own future. It was his and no one else's.

' _Please come soon my dearest guest, I shall be ready'_

XxxxXxxxX

The day has come.

His magic was a wild thunderstorm, barely controllable through years of iron clad will – though ethereal winds still ruffled his robes, and light shined from behind his eyes. His voice carried a lot more power than usual, and his presence was heavier, headier, prompting his young students to keep a wide gap between them and him. His magic staff was a relief, weighting in his palms and keeping the brunt if his might in check, though the sun and the moon sparked sporadically as if trying to reach for an unknown thunder cloud.

The allure of his power was addicting, however, and Clow knew his most devoted sycophants would only be _encouraged_.

"Is something going on Teacher?" Dark blue eyes moved to the speaker. He smiled congenially, ignoring the cold bite of _resentment_ that bloomed in his chest when his young cousin – or was it niece? – stiffened and blushed under his gaze. She felt like prey, he felt like he owed her something.

' _Xiao Ling Li's grandfather is my cousin'_ Clow reminded himself stoically ' _It is likely he will come to me with a marriage proposal, offering Xiao Ling as a bride to the big bad wolf'_

Magic snaked under his fingertips, reality _bending,_ worlds coming unbound or being created – so many possibilities sprawled open before him. Clow smiled once more, a glint of something in his eyes that spoke of mischief and _other_ things. Xiao Ling tried to hide her fear and lust, she was very successful.

"Nothing at all Miss Li" He assured lightly, eyes still monitoring the progress of the storm still so far away through an open window. "You and your colleagues are welcome to spend the day in my library, I've let the servants know to serve you all a cup of tea"

They were, of course, being eavesdropped by said _colleagues_ , fellow young – or not – mages who'd come for a week or two and leave when it became clear the sorcerer would never humor their true intentions.

"What about you, sir?" His niece/cousin/student asked with an earnest look in her eyes. It was difficult to measure to what extent her fear ended and where the _love_ began. "Will you join us?"

"No, I am afraid I am needed elsewhere" Clow declined, making his voice low and polite, observing how Xiao Ling wanted to protest but wouldn't.

' _Better get going… Where should I welcome my guest? Northern wing with the others or closest to me?'_ Clow dismissed his students and continued on his path to the foyer ' _Not yet. I shall decide when I meet them'_ He decided with content oozing out of him in little colorful waves.

The biggest boom someone _gifted_ with advanced prescience such as him could ask for is _something they can't see_. Clow Reed knows how, when, where, with whom and why he will die. He knows how many times his soul will split and knows how many children his line will carry. He knows what people will say before they say it, and know how _everything_ will end – from books, to plots and schemes to _love_.

' _Wait and see'_ He thought to himself with glee. How many centuries has he waited for a moment like this _knowing absolutely_ that it wasn't going to happen… Only to be blindsided for once in his life.

 _Wait and see_ sounded about just right.

The day was growing darker as it came along, though the sun was barely at its zenith.

Midday, not so much a magical hour – not as significant as dawn or dusk, or the time the first star became visible – and as a patron of his magic, the Sun _belonged_ to Clow anyway. None of it mattered though, the sun was being completely hidden by a thickening, curling mass of angry looking clouds, rolling and thundering into a brewing storm that promised to ravish his fields with an unrelenting torrent of water.

All his servants and students were already sheltered inside the protected mansion, all but him, the one leaving the security and heading outside. The storm was calling for him, he'd answer its call with a storm of his own.

' _Come to me, descend from the heavens and into my awaiting arms'_ Clow extended ethereal arms up to the clouds in a greeting of forces that clashed and battled, until he receded in contented wait.

The rain started as a thin wet curtain, but as he neared the center of his courtyard, it picked up strength and the curtain became a wall made of water – untouched, for his own mastery over the elements, Clow pressed forward ignoring the angry currents save for the whipping winds trying to lift his robes and hair – until he was standing at the eye of the storm.

' _Wait and see'_

A single lightning bolt descended the heavens, parting the rain and spreading light and noise enough to deafen a common man… no element could touch him, however, his magic made a mantle of dark colored power around his form, raising his hair from its passive position over his shoulder and welcoming the electric strike.

A weight settled in his arms, he moved almost unconsciously to tighten his protective hold on whatever was left in his care in the wake of the light – as soon as the lighting was done connecting sky and earth with him as the between, he could finally _see_.

And the first thing he saw was a pair of startled green eyes.

His future, one he couldn't seem to grasp, reflected along the mad turbulent skies was staring at him from those eyes.

' _Beautiful'_

He smiled the closed eyelid smile that never failed to transmit a fair share of mysteriousness. They connected instantly. Like to puzzle pieces coming together, or perhaps polarized ends of a magnet meeting for the first time.

Clow Reed suddenly saw _his_ future. Filled with laugher, happiness and light. He wanted to reach for it with the desperate need of a thirsty man in the middle of a desert, longing for water.

The owner of those eyes was young, on the cusp of womanhood, body delicate and bird-like – but the magic surging underneath her skin was absolutely intoxicating – like the lightning still bolting through the skies. Her scared little face was angled toward him, his arms were like vices holding his prize to his chest, burying the young woman inside his robes so she'd be impervious to the rain, his long raven colored hair, now unbound, framed their faces as he focused solely on her.

She had no idea how dangerous his focus is. ' _She will learn, she will learn everything and more, and we will learn together'_

"What… who are you…?" She spoke English, accent carrying a small, foreign trace. The energies coalescing around them were like guidelines, telling him stories about his precious guest… She's foreign, not of this world – but she'd soon belong in _his_.

Before the panic brewing inside her chest had a chance to truly come unbound, Clow shifted, freeing his left arm and carrying her by tucking her weight on his right elbow, leaving uncovered legs to curl entirely around his torso. With his free hand, he brushed her dark colored fringe apart from her forehead – revealing a fascinating mark upon her skin - while whispering a sleeping spell.

"All will be answered soon, precious one, sleep for now"

Darkened green eyes closed slowly as she fought to stay conscious, but Clow willed her to sleep, to trust he'd keep her safe. He could feel their very souls reaching out, figurative hands outstretched and desperate for completion of a bond he's still learning to navigate about.

' _Wait and see'_ He mentally repeated happily, darkness curling lovingly around the bottom of his robes, touching the dainty feet and clinging to her skin.

XxxxXxxxX

"I want a room cleared for her in the western wing, beside my own quarters" His personal area of the mansion, inaccessible to the students and followers after his power and prestige.

The servant in front of him nodded, bowing his head. "My lord, should I also call a maid?"

 _John Evington – faded blue eyes and brown hair, clever faced, eager boy Clow Reed rescued from an impoverished London street in early 1800's. The sorcerer brought the boy into his mansion and put him under his butler's wings. A couple of decades later and John Evington is the newest Reed butler, keeping his master's trust despite his solid religious belief._

' _Commendable, considering the amount of unholy things he's seen me do over the years'_ The sorcerer wondered fondly, meeting his faithful servant's eyes and smiling benignly.

"Do so… I want her feeling at home by sundown today, she should be waking up soon" Clow thought he'd be quite able to care for his guest, but perhaps propriety should dictate more of his actions than just passion and possessiveness.

John nodded as was expected, bowing before straightening his back to follow orders.

The servant left with a last "Yes my lord" leaving Clow holding his precious prize amidst the curiosity of his students. He smiled genially at his audience, making sure that none of his newest guest' skin was exposed to hungry, curious eyes.

"As of today, I have chosen my apprentice. Do not worry, I will continue to aid in your own studies" He announced almost innocently as an afterthought, his lips curling into a more mischief filled smile as waves upon waves of frustrated anger hit him.

' _I wonder how many of them will leave this following week, and how many of them will persist until realizing it is futile to part me from my precious little gift'_ And a darker side of his mind also wondered how many of them would plot to have his gift erased permanently from the picture… Now is the time the disadvantage from being caught unaware of the future would reel its ugly head.

' _The bad comes with the good, and the good will forever justify the bad as long as we are happy'_

"But teacher… who is she?" Xiao Ling Li asked wearily, her voice echoed a couple times more by frustrated and angered students.

If it wasn't for the fear and power lust battling for control inside the young woman's heart, he'd consider her grandfather's proposal to have her as a wife. She was a powerful and intelligent young woman, and being closer to the Li family, his mother's family, would offer an extra blanket of protection for him – not that he _needed_ it – but it would also mean he'd be undoubtedly chosen as next clan head, even being a 'half-blood' son of their line.

 _He's seen the future. He marries into the Li family a decade before the turn of the century, moving to the Asian continent and having two sons. One of them is chosen as next clan head – that ends with Xiao Lang Li, while the youngest travels to Japan. His youngest son would have two daughters and a son of his own. His granddaughter marries Kinomoto Touya, and that predictable line ends with little Sakura. His grandsons would travel around, one of them ends birthing the line of Watanuki Kimihiro while the other dies young._

 _Now, his future is as uncertain as can be, and Clow Reed loves the anonymity._

' _As it is'_ The frank frustration now obscuring all other emotions in Xiao Ling's eyes was quite amusing ' _I am sorry to say any marriage is forgone whatsoever in this old sorcerer's future if it isn't with my little gift'_

Charlotte Dubois, another of his pestering 'students' raised a hand, not even waiting for a go ahead before speaking. "Was that the reason you went in the storm?" She received an elbow to the ribs, courtesy of Xiao Ling.

His smile turned tender as his eyes slid from his students to his magically slumbering, precious guest "All in good time, my students… she is quite obviously tired from her long travel here, you can get to know my apprentice at a later, convenient hour"

With a last parting smile to his still protesting students, Clow retired to his quarters.

XxxxXxxxX

TBC!


	3. Part II

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

And! I dunno if you know about soul mate lore according to the book Brida (Paul Coelho). Well... Souls can divide into two, and these two parts of a whole soul are what's known as soul mates.. There is no limit to how many times a soul can divide in each lifetime, so we can end with a number of soul mates or none. They also don't have to be lovers, maybe a parent or a sibling, even a friend can be a soul mate. (This is only book's fiction and not what I personaly believe, nor should it be taken as gospel... All for the sake of the story, right?)

Annnnd! I wanted to update weekly, but seeing the almost overwhelming response to this project, I decided to just update part 2 and forget about it till Christmas~

The Crow  
(First Arc: The witch from another world)  
(Part 02)

XxxxXxxxX

Lively deep green eyes fluttered open, looking everywhere curiously and perhaps a bit frightened as their owner woke up.

The girl startled after a moment, suddenly aware of the strange predicament she found herself in.

But Clow was right beside her, magic and soul curling protectively around her form until her head lowered, and her eyes half closed in a sedated torpor.

 _The reaching tendril of magic touched her own, a bond is made that only he could see, and it's so very beautiful._

"Who are you?" She asked the man sitting at her bedside once more, head lolling on her shoulder so she could pin him with her sleepy gaze. A European appearance, with dark mahogany colored hair that curled lovingly around her head and neck.

His smile dimpled the sides of his cheeks as he regarded her fondly. She was there to wreck his future, but he'd make it his. Make _her_ his.

"My name is Clow Reed, precious one; can you tell me your name?" She processed his name for a minute, apparently coming up blank - she's never heard of him, which is strange - he's accumulated quite the fame for his magical prowess and knowledge in his home world and in a couple of universes.

 _The tentative bond staggered. She's scared and intimidated. She does_ _ **not**_ _belong to anyone but herself – but there is hope, hope for joy beyond measure and peace the likes of which none of them ever felt. The truce is delicate, but he could work with it and build their bond from there._

"... Violet Potter...And I'm not your precious one" She seemed to wait for a reaction, any reaction, none that he gave anyway - making Clow realize that just how he waited to be recognized, so did she – though he ignored her quip with a blink. Violet was there, studying him some more "how - how did I end up here?"

And that disturbing predictable question came sooner rather than later.

He had no idea, though now that he had a name and a face, he'd be able to scry for her when needed – such are the benefits of his powers if they ever worked correctly when the subject was _Violet_. He's tried for weeks when the dreams started, so Clow wasn't certain it would work now.

' _And now the proof of my dreams is right here in my reach'_ Clow wondered _when_ he's supposed to care about the _how_ his precious gift fell into his arms. His mood fluctuated between contentment and a vast amount of _worry_ regardless of his blasé approach on the situation.

"I'm sorry, that's a question I cannot answer right now... I can tell you where you are though; we are in my state, a couple dozen miles north of London. You fell from a Storm" He revealed with what he knew was a comforting smile.

"Oh..." A breath is gushed through slack, naturally rosy lips, she blinked bewildered, large eyes searing into his own as if willing his mind to open – He'd like to open his mind for her one day, have her entrenched so deeply into him they'd be one.

 _The bond shifts, becomes needy and possessive. Dangerous. His darker, more powerful hold on his feelings have him hungry. His little treasure recoils in naïve fear. He couldn't have that._

A darkened vein of possession _purred_ in delight. The sorcerer forcibly cleared his head from the haze Violet created and focused deeper on her, taking a shaky, feminine hand in his, thumb drawing small circles at the junction between fingers and palm.

Violet trembled, clutching at his hand for a single second as her defenses crumbled, before drawing her limb from him as if burned. _'Fall into my web, fall into me'_ The sorcerer prayed silently to the darkest forces of the multiverse.

"What is the last thing you remember?" He finally asked gently, urging trust into Violet. After taking a long, fortifying breath, his gift made a question.

"A-are you a... um..." He kept the encouraging smile for Violet. Green eyes scanned the room he had prepared for her only hours before, taking into consideration the Arts & Crafts decó and the gas lamps. After a couple of minutes absorbing her surroundings with careful observations, she turned to him, to his robes and the staff he never bothers to hide. "...Wizard" Violet finally voiced what's in her mind.

Ah. So she already knew about magic – a weight leaves his shoulders enough that the calming smile on his lips evolve into a grin.

' _And not an ounce of fear'_ Clow notices giddily. _'She doesn't fear magic'_

 _The bond is so beyond her comprehension that she's not aware of it in a conscious state. He'd have to teach her the intricacies of magic and the beauty of the arts, just so he could show her the magnificent power of the bond between them._

"Indeed, Miss Potter, though I am considered more a Sorcerer due to the scale of my powers" Clow told her, almost cheerful but still careful. Although he felt she'd be open minded to the idea of his Art, he didn't want to scare her too soon "Can you say what is it you remember last?"

Violet's whole body shuddered then. Seeing her reaction to his question, the sorcerer risked taking hold of her hand again, keeping it loosely between his fingers.

She leaned into his touch, taking all the comfort she's allowing herself to.

Once more, the darkness tinted magic under his skin pulsed maniacally in rhythm with his longing heart. _'So very beautiful'_

The magic under _her_ skin _sings_ for his, sinking hooks into his ether, digging a hole for itself. She's been abused, he notices, her powers after his affection – something he's willing to give freely if she'd let him.

 _Following their bond to the origin inside of her, he could see it – frayed limbs and reaching hands, desperate tendrils curling helplessly after being so aggressively severed, and the blackened bonds that led to blood family. If he ever met her family, he'd make them pay for crippling his treasure so._

Understanding shined in her eyes, even as they darkened in painful remembrance "I... I was at Hogwarts" She told him. He wondered briefly what kind of place is Hogwarts, never having heard of the name before – Violet read his expression accurately, for she frowned in answer, worry curling visibly around her "You don't know what Hogwarts is? But you clearly have magic!"

A low, fond chuckle leave his throat. Not mocking, but gentle and warm. _'Sassy. She only needs confidence and caring'_ Color rises to paint a faint pink upon cheeks that were quite pale before. The color looks beautiful on her – he's decided to make his precious gift blush more often. _He is proud of Violet's temper. He could see how she used it to take pride in her actions. She's so very special…_

But first…

' _Pride takes a toll of the Lioness who thought she knew too much'_

"And can you say for yourself that you know all there is to know about the world?" He asks moderately. Violet's head lower, she's biting her lips as she thought. His hand already left hers and found a place on a slim shoulder, the tips of his long fingers brushing against her neck enticingly.

' _Never too early to start seducing this Lioness'_

"We don't even know from where you came from, my dear, finish your tale"

"Right... right" Her mind blanked, thoughts swirling like mist at the forefront of her consciousness.

Clow was not proud of himself as he didn't even pretend not to notice the chance to _take a peek..._ Her mind was sprawled open before him, a few centimeters away.

' _What do I remember? I was at Hogwarts, the wards were breached and Death Eaters kept pouring in. Voldemort challenged me threatening my friends and so I went to him and he... killed me once - the Killing Curse, but I didn't stay dead. I was brought before him a second time and we dueled again, our spells met midair and suddenly there is this storm brewing over our heads. I heard thunder, it only took one slip of concentration, his spell overpowered mine and everything went out of control! And then_...' At the outside, Violet's expression closed off, the green of her eyes turning a darker shade of sorrow.

His hand already on her shoulders helped him into bringing Violet against his side – she understandably struggled for a moment, but was so emotionally spent at the moment that she didn't fight him, or the tears, for long, choosing to lean against him for comfort.

 _The bond sings, thickens and grows at an exponential rate. She is so starved for affection, for love, that she falls into his waiting arms. It's sad, and the monster in him rears its' ugly head in a victorious howl that echoes throughout the ether._

Clow's face turned blank as he tried to sooth Violet – the conflict she plundered into is powerful enough to drag him in it. Whatever she's been through is, indeed, scarring and sad "Shh... You're safe with me, shh... don't cry my dear one, nothing will reach you here, you are alive. I will keep you safe"

"Is-is Voldemort gone?" She asked half coherently after a minute or two, forgetting she hasn't actually told him anything.

Regret that he cannot offer an answer spread in Clow. _'Whoever this Voldemort is, if he isn't already dead –_ Snake like face, ruby red eyes filled with a cold, meticulous fury – _I will find a way to make him_ _ **pay**_ _'_

Another thing to scry about when he wasn't filled with the need to protect "I don't know, but I can find out" The sorcerer promised darkly, daring to lower his chin to rest atop the crown of her head. "Would you like to rest a little before we talk more?"

She took a moment to compose herself, and to his abundant disappointment, she also straightened boldly against the headboard, steadying her emotions before looking at him from wet, green eyes. He just smiled encouragingly – hiding the true maelstrom _his_ emotions were causing.

It's all she needed.

' _Brave, courageous and beautiful Lioness'_ Light magic curled around Violet. She's calmed down some.

"No… I'm fine. First, what year is it?" Well, isn't this an interesting question?

"The year of our queen 1856" He answers regretfully, monitoring the spike in her precious heart and the way her face falls disappointedly. "I take it you've been temporarily displaced as well?" He tried to say lightly, but a fear took root within his heart.

 _What if…_

"Oh Merlin, more than a hundred years...! What will I do?"

 _What if she…_

"You can stay within my home for as long as you need, we can find a way back to wherever or whenever you came from" He said it lightly enough, hiding the undercurrent of sheer _possessiveness_ that threatened to overcome his senses.

' _I cannot be selfish! Focus Clow Reed!'_

 _What if she wants…_

"I can't burden you!"

"Don't worry, I have the means to support you - and if you're worried about being a burden, I am a master, Miss Potter, you can stay as my student until we find what can be done about you, yes?"

 _What if…_

"Oh…"

"Sleep a little more, I will have someone prepare a bath for you - and a change of clothes... You can dine with me if you're feeling better, we can resume talking then"

Her relief was despairingly palpable in the air, he smiled again, a hand reaching with a will of its own to touch her, to feel the texture of warm skin underneath his fingertips - to connect their magic and souls once more in that glorious melody he started hearing when she arrived…

"Alright, I think I can do that"

 _What if… in the end… she wants to leave?_

 _The bond cord pulse, connecting their souls together. Even if she wants to leave, he'd follow. Now he only has to convince her of the same thing._

XxxxXxxxX

 _It took an embarrassing while for the sorcerer to understand what was going on._

 _When it finally dawned on him, it took a lot of effort not to let the veritable amount of smugness that wanted to pour out of him, out._

 _"The bond has taken hold this fast?" He wondered to himself, looking around the strange place he was found at._

 _"What bond?"_

 _"Our bond, of course… You form bonds with everyone you ever meet, and these bonds will affect your future…. Though some believe that fate is all there is to it"_

 _"I hate fate, I hate prophecies"_

 _"That is a shame little one, for it seems you have accessed exactly that facet of my powers" He told the mental voice of his gift with a gentle, yielding tone "Look around now… The fraction of what you took from me is now coming into effect"_

 _And indeed, as they conversed in the dreamscape, it changed. Before the place was bare, just a vast darkened expanse that extended and sprawled until the edges frayed like old fabric – He knew that this wasn't all there was to his gift's mind, this was only somewhere unconsciously summoned by her that would facilitate the use of his powers._

 _He thrived in the darkness, after all._

 _But darkness was slowly seeping away, being filled with crystal orbs that glowed, incandescent and vividly._

 _Prophecies. A lot of them too._

 _"How can it be that you seem to be able to see using my powers, when I cannot?"_

 _"Dunno. I think I'm dreaming"_

 _"You definitely are" He muffled a laugh with the sleeve of his robes. "But look what you're dreaming about"_

 _A crystal orb burst, sending images, sounds, colors, smells and sensations to the two who were witnessing the prophecy…_

 _"Oh!" She squeaked adorably "I wonder who that is…"_

 _Before they were taken completely by the dream she pulled forth._

 _..._

TBC!


	4. Christmas Special Episode

Just a little Christmas special – features canon!Harry and a little xover with CCS at the ending :)  
Happy holidays everyone!

The Crow

(Christmas Special)

The castle was glowing as light reflected on the little, thin motes of snow slowly falling from the sky. The clouds were thin enough to allow for the sun radiance to spread to the world below, and that radiance was bathing the day in an ethereal light.

"I dunno about you, but I'm starved" A red haired boy said, peeking from a window from the tallest tower in the castle as his two friends ran after him.

"Slow down Ron! The food won't go anywhere for a while yet!" The one who spoke was a girl with wild, curly hair that tended to go everywhere accordingly to her moods. "Harry and I are not in a hurry"

"I'm kind of hungry too Hermione" Harry nodded guiltily. The evils of teenage boys' stomach. He was a little scrawny, with hair wilder than Hermione piled on his head like a slumbering porcupine.

"See?" Ron crowed victoriously, forgoing staring out the windows to press his pace down the great hall. "Harry agrees, come on! I bet Seamus ate everything already"

"Ugh! Boys…" Hermione grumbled under her breath, but she was a fit witch – what with Hogwart's disproportionate size and having to run if she didn't want to arrive late in class. "Wait for me, won't you!?"

Suffice to say they arrived at the great hall in no time at all.

Instead of the four tables spread around the large room, there was only one right in the middle. The enchantment on the roof that showed the sky outside was positively glorious that morning, with the usual floating candles decorated with gold and red bows and fake snow falling everywhere.

"Oh no… look who's already there" Ron, the ever bumbling one pointed out rather rudely at a specific teacher – who, as he said, was already sat down at the table sipping tea with a hand and reading a booklet with the other.

"I don't understand why you dislike Professor Reed so much" The female third of their group glared at her red haired friend. "He's been nothing but helpful this year, and honestly one of the best DADA teachers we've had since Remus"

"Anything is better than Lockhart" Ron retorted, gaining a muffled agreement from Harry, who chose that moment to yawn.

"I like professor Reed" Harry confessed, eyeing Ron nervously. The red head had the tendency to blow things out of proportions – like Hermione, but they'd never say _that_ to her face –and Harry didn't want to start again on this particular argument that's been around since the start of the semester.

Ron snorted petulantly. He had a right to be weary. Their track record was abysmal when the topic breached DADA professorship.

"You wait and see" He said with promising eyes "He's gonna be out to kill you by new year"

"Don't jinx it!" Harry hurried to say "I don't want any more trouble, least of all after…"

"We know Harry, we all don't" Hermione patted his back empathically, commiserating. "But we have to look forward our last year of Education, remember we still have yet to complete our NEWTs"

"How about we forget about it and go eat?" Ron proposed, seeing his friend and girlfriend's darkening moods made him feel guilty for being a paranoid prick. Only it isn't paranoia if they _are_ out to get you, is it?

Moving inconspicuously to the main table and picking seats – not as far from professor Reed as Ron would like, but politely close to professor McGonnagal who was already staring sternly in their direction for dawdling in the corridor – the trio began piling breakfast on their plate, joining the conversation.

"Good morning professors" Hermione greeted, sending a smile at the teachers who chose to remain in Hogwarts to help rebuild the castle. It's been a year since the battle where Voldemort fell, and though many chose not to return there were enough people to still hold the school open. "Happy Christmas"

"Good morning, miss Granger" Echoed a few professors.

Harry looked up from his plate to see who else was present.

"Hey Ginny!" He waved at his not-girlfriend, who waved enthusiastically back. "Luna" The blonde hummed in her absent minded way.

The conversations did dissolve into greetings, but soon picked up again between the seniors. The topics varying amongst each groups though it was plain obvious to see how they all avoided Harry's victory against Voldemort.

Professor Reed exchanged words with professor Vector, before looking at Harry with a far too benign smile.

"You know Mr. Potter, you remind me of my wife" He said innocently – ignoring how comparing an eighteen years old young man to his _wife_ of all things could be wrongly constructed. "She's a little busy right now, but promised she'd come later"

"Oh…" Harry coughed awkwardly, not used to being compared to someone's wife. By now Ginny was trying to hold back giggles and Ron was glaring daggers at Professor Reed's forehead. "Is she…um… working?"

"No" The Professor smiled like a Cheshire "She's keeping an eye on some of our venues. It is not precisely _work_ , but she's too hard headed sometimes to just delegate and take a vacation" He spoke with so much adoration in his voice that it was impossible to hold it against him the little slight against his wife.

 _Like Harry?_ Was the unanimous thought.

The glint in Ginny's eyes became positively unholy.

Hermione noticed and tried to do damage control.

"The text you suggested on protection rituals was really interesting Professor" She commented before Ginny – or Ron – cold open their mouth. Septima Vector, who may or may not nurture a slight crush on Professor Reed looked better now, having turned a sickly shade of green when Mrs. Reed was brought up.

"I knew you would appreciate it" The blue eyed DADA teacher said with a knowing grin.

"Indeed, Miss Granger is the brightest witch we ever had the pleasure of teaching" Professor McGonnagal winked playfully at said witch. Hermione nodded back. Job done.

"Well…" Ginny smirked at Harry, not having grasped – or ignored completely – the nuances of Minerva and Hermione "I'm still curious about Mrs. Reed, professor. I never pictured you as the domestic type" She spoke sassily, confidence pouring out her every pore. If she's read professor Reed right, he enjoyed a good prank – the laugh lines around his eyes attested to that.

"Many don't" Professor Reed answered lightly, trading knowing looks with Ginny.

"Miss Weasley! That is not something proper to ask your professor!" The headmistress admonished the red haired girl.

"I am not offended Minerva. It is, after all, the holidays" Professor Reed pointed out, fishing Ginny out of trouble. "And I don't mind the young ones' curiosity. It fills my heart with joy to know they care enough to be curious"

"Still, no need to humor the unruly ones" Professor Vector said between clenched teeth.

"Now I want to know too" Ron added around a mouthful of bacon.

And Harry, who didn't even know where the topic of professor Reed's wife came from, decided to focus on his breakfast and steadily ignore Ginny's pointed looks. His not-girlfriend had a mean streak a mile wide it seemed.

A mean streak she shared with Professor Reed.

"Alright then, I see no harm in talking about my lovely Violet" His tone was so sickeningly besotted that everyone possessing double X chromosomes melted into piles of enchanted goo. Professor Reed is handsome and charming even though he looked in his mid thirties; he just had that mysterious and alluring aura around him.

Septima Vector winced, drawing away from the table with a hasty push and scampering to her feet – after adjusting her robes, of course.

"I am done… sorry about the early retreat, I still have some graphs to grade for the holidays and I wanted to be done before lunch!" The dark haired woman babbled, running away in the direction of her office while throwing looks at Reed over her shoulders.

"My, my. That girl has it bad" Professor Slughorn laughed out loud, taking a sip out of his throughoutly spiked tea – his cheeks were suspiciously rosy despite the early hour and relatively cozy inside temperature. "You know Mr. Reed, you do remind me quite a lot of myself when I was younger"

"I bet" Ron mumbled to Harry and Hermione under his breath. The three shared a secret giggle behind their forks.

"Oh no! Professor Reed is older than he looks" Luna, in all her wisdom, was completely ignored. She inwardly debated the pro and cons of talking her mind at this time, seeing Professor Reed smile _predatorily_ in her direction. "See how the nargles ignore him completely?"

"Don't start Luna. It's too early to deal with your stories" Hermione grumbled irritated. Never seeing eye to eye with Luna Lovegood.

"It's not my fault you are shortsighted Hermione" The dirty blonde haired girl sniped back, sniffing in derision. Hermione fumed, but calmed down when Ron spread a hand behind her back to embrace his girlfriend.

"Calm down Hermione, you know how Luna is" Harry placated too.

Ginny cleared her throat and caught the laughing professor Reed's eyes again.

"Sir?" she prompted innocently.

"Right" He smiled back at the red head. "My dear wife is compassionate, caring, trustful, reliable, sensitive, adventurous, stubborn, kind, tolerant, courageous…"

A few minutes later and everyone was deeply regretting Ginny's interest, even her.

"… organized, determinate, loyal, talented, sincere, hardworking, beautiful, charming, elegant…"

"What kind of lies are you spreading about me, dear?" They were all so absorbed into trying to tone out Professor Reed's really _long_ list of adjectives that no one even heard the great hall's door open – and its hinges were getting on the years and always made an insufferable amount of noise.

Well…

"Mum?" Harry gaped, staring at what could only be a clone of his mother. Dark reddish brown hair fell in a curly mess over a white, delicate shoulder.

She's wearing a red tank top and ripped jeans, and didn't look a day over twenty five. Lively green eyes, a shade exactly like Harry's, was staring laughingly at them as she approached.

"Lily, is that you?" Professor McGonnagal asked, mouth tight. Practically all professors were gaping. Save for Professor Reed, who was looking at the Lily-clone with unmerited innocence.

"Harry I'm sorry, but that can't be your mum" Hermione nudged her messy haired friend with a shoulder, trying to break him out of his confusion.

"I'd wish _that_ wasn't my mum" Ron whispered lewdly to Harry, so Hermione wouldn't hear. She did and sent a stinging hex that nailed Ron's legs under the table.

"Yeah… that can't me my mum… but _who_ is she?" Harry agreed, lowering his eyes in a downcast gloom – the beginning stages of a brood that would last the whole day.

"My wife" Professor Reed chirruped cheerfully. "Violet, my dear, meet some of my colleagues and students" he positively _chirped_. Now even Ginny looked like she wanted to hit him.

As headmistress, professor McGonnagal had a duty to perform, so she cleared her throat and composed herself.

"Mrs. Reed, it is good to have you in our school for today" The older looking woman greeted with politeness. "Will you join us for breakfast?"

"Oh yes! I'm _starved_!" The youthful young woman who resembled Lily way too much to be good, nodded enthusiastically, eyes shining just like Harry's when he was in a good humor. "I've been busy this _whole_ morning, you see? Had no time to grab a bite till now"

"I told you they'd be fine for the holidays" Professor Reed tried to start nagging, but stopped at the very pointed look sent to him by his wife. "Dear" He finished with a strained smile.

"How did you meet Professor Reed?" Ginny asked the green eyed woman version of Harry.

"Oh! I fell into his arms!" Mrs. Reed beamed, after which she filled her mouth with toast and was too busy to say anything more.

"I used to hold a course on magic to those who didn't attain enough means to come to Hogwarts" Professor Reed told them "My dear wife just surged into my life like lightning and I couldn't let her go" His smile was congenial and cheerful, filled with love for his wife who was beaming at him from behind the rest of her toast.

Harry, who was also in the process of biting a toast paused, stared at Mrs. Reed and flushed deep red. Luna waved at him, looking serious.

"Mrs. Reed might be another version of you" She whispered urgently "You two share exactly the same amount of nargles and you both could do without wrackspurks for a while"

Ron heard Luna and couldn't help the milk filled snort from leaving his nose. While Hermione napped at the milk that spilled on his shirt with an irritated vehemence, the red haired boy was busy cackling.

"Children! Behave!" Minerva McGonnagal snapped irritably. "We have a guest today so be on your best behavior"

"Mate, we're too old to be scolded like that" Harry grumbled to Ron, who stopped laughing to nod to Harry.

"You two been married long?" Ginny asked before Harry and Ron could get scolded again.

The married pair traded secret looks. An absolutely outrageous aura of amusement wafting off of them.

"You could say that" Mrs. Reed grinned.

"It feels like a hundred and forty years, sometimes" Professor Reed added, looking playful.

"Well, this has been very delightful, but I too have duties I must attend to" the headmistress left the table with a last look in Mrs. Reed's direction.

"Why don't you show Mrs. Reed around the castle?" Professor Slughorn suggested with a way too suggestive eyebrow up. He too was ready to retire to his quarters. He had a long list of _friends_ he'd be visiting for the day.

"Excellent idea!" Mrs. Reed cheered with a happy grin – to say that it looked like Harry's would be redundant by now "Its' been _ages_ since I've been to Hog- a castle"

"Sweetheart" Professor Reed started up the table, waiting until his wife packed away a glass of pumpkin juice before offering an arm. "Would you allow this one to escort you through this castle?"

"Why my handsome gentleman, I would" The green eyed woman simpered back, falling back into that playful manner with her husband showed great familiarity.

Ginny sighed.

Hermione tried to hide a smile.

Harry and Ron just looked worried. The older married pair was giving their girlfriend/not-girlfriend ideas and it wasn't good.

It was only when the Reed couple left the table that the trio plus Ginny really put their heads together to _gossi –_ I mean, trade vital information. They completely ignored the professor's exasperated looks.

…

"Are you done playing professor with my younger self?" Violet asked, lifting an eyebrow. Her husband tried to look innocent.

"Why dear, it's not really a younger you" He pointed out.

"Gender doesn't matter" The witch pointed out dryly. "It is still me"

"It isn't" Clow insisted, grabbing his wife by her waist just as they passed through an alcove. "Harry Potter isn't my soul mate"

Violet just hummed under her breath.

"I know… different world and all" Then she cackled uproariously. "I can't believe your counterpart is little Ginny Weasley!"

Just like it happened that Violet Potter' soul mate was Clow Reed, this Harry Potter' soul mate was Ginny Weasley. Different Universes counterparts and all.

"Why Mrs. Reed, I am trying to seduce you into an alcove and you stand there laughing at my poor counterpart' situation" the sorcerer brooded, pulling her against his chest so he could drape over her shoulder and rest his chin over her head.

"Ginny Weasley!" Violet giggled some more, then squeaked when her husband got more handsy. She didn't really want to slap his hand away from her chest though, it was doing wonderful things to her blood flow. "Oh fine! I'll stop!"

"Figured you would given the right incentives" He agreed empathically, lips descending to the pale column of her neck so he could lick at that tender spot behind her ear.

"What?" She asked breathlessly. "Ohhh, don't stop that"

"Never thought of it"

After the alcove, the couple did manage to get into his room. No one saw them for the rest of the day.

…

"Where did Rido-sensei go?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Didn't she say she'd go visit her husband back in England?" Tomoyo remembered.

"Ehhh?! Rido-sensei is married?!"

"That woman is suspicious… I don't know why you have to be close to her" Kero grumbled under his breath.

"She's our English teacher, and she's very smart" The raven haired girl said to her cousin's familiar. "I only heard good things from mom"

"Dad's also pretty fond of her!" Sakura exclaimed defensively. "He said she was his teacher during college"

"And how" Kero started with a twitch "Is it possible for your parents to be so well acquaintanced with her if she looks so young?"

"Oh…"

"Gotta keep an eye on her" the stuffed lion lectured. "That Rido woman and the Hiragizawa boy"

"Oh Kero, now you're just being paranoid!" Sakura pointed out with a laugh.

"Well, they _are_ suspicious"

"Eat your pudding Kero-chan" Tomoyo handed the familiar the delicacy she mentioned, and all was forgotten for that afternoon.

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~


	5. Part III

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!  
And.. um.. maybe I should have let you know this would be slow going? Sorry – I will _try_ to pick up the pace a little! Here is a treat!  
I also know I said "weekly" but that's wide open for interpretation as is everything in life~ like deadlines.. just don't take my word for it.

The Crow  
(First Arc: The witch from another world)  
(Part 03)

XxxxXxxxX

 _..._

 _Her breath escaped in small puffs between delightful little mewls and embarrassed moans._

 _His larger hands, with his long fingers, traced the lines of her curves, caressing untried skin for the first time and alighting a fire inside of her and raising delightfully sensitive goosebumps all over her back._

 _Violet's inexperience was intoxicating, her body writhing above his as her own hands sought the planes of his chest to explore – Smiling, a dark, promising grin that had his young lover trembling in anticipating pleasure, he guided his hands and mouth to the peak of her breasts, kissing a tempting trail above flushing, heaving flesh until his lips met the junction between neck and ear._

 _A long, drawn out moan left her throat, the sound attractive and seductive. He sucked the moisture right out of her skin, lathering it with wet kisses._

 _He could feel his body responding to her, blood spouting where it should making him come alive beneath her lower body. She must have realized his desire, for her movements became a little more frantic, and her breathing just a bit more accelerated._

 _Love burned in his heart for this precious girl, spurring him to meet her in a heated kiss, hands reaming to her hips so he could gently guide their natural undulation - seeking her own pleasure now that she discovered the advantages of friction._

 _He could give her pleasure, plenty if she'd let him._

" _Clow… please" Violet murmured against the shell of his ear, moist lips touching oversensitive skin. It took a lot of self-control not to come apart like an untried teenager, and a lot more of it to stop the urge to utterly debauch her._

" _You don't know what you are doing to me" He ground out against her neck._

 _She's gotten the rhythm he set on her hips, grinding against him on her own as his hands mapped the expanse of the delicate curve of her back - rising to cup a slender, feminine neck and pulling at her hair until her throat was completely exposed._

 _The sweating, modest mounds of her chest were right at the level of his thirsty mouth._

 _Violet just keened most beautifully when he took a nipple between his teeth, rolling a wet tongue over it to sooth the sting as he continued to draw her into him._

" _I think…" Violet struggled for words "…That I have an idea" she panted wetly._

" _Oh no, precious one, you will only know when I'm nestled inside of you. When you are stretched tautly around my own flesh, when you're screaming out my name to the stars as I fill you over and over again"_

" _Clow!"_

…

"… Clow… Master Clow…?"

One of his many servants is calling.

The butler.

He remembers a name and a face but couldn't be bothered with anything beyond that.

The haze he fell into took a while to lift.

' _Was that a prophetic dream or just a_ _ **wish**_ _?'_ The sorcerer wondered with bemusement for a single moment. _'Violet is awaken at last'_ He made the mistake of touching their bond. Whatever daydream he just had, Violet also experienced.

' _It started from me'_ Clow realized soon enough. _'My desire for intimacy translated into the dream and spread from me to her, I hope she isn't too distraught'_ however benign his wishes were, his true feelings were _beyond_ naughty in nature…

Heat just throbbed in his veins and it's difficult to control a more physical reaction when his very _being_ aches for _her_ … And he still had to deal with poor John.

"It's nothing, just a vision" Clow Reed could feel his body betray his portrayed nonchalance for a moment, though he couldn't help the smug, self-satisfied smile that stretched over his face. The servant shifted awkwardly, looking away, professional enough not to comment on the oddities of his master. "Is Miss Potter awake yet?" The question was redundant.

 _And yet_ …

His servants would be calling Violet _mistress_ soon enough – a little whisper filled with mischief echoes around them mutely.

' _Mistress Reed… Lady Reed…'_

"I think so, sir, she's been calling out your name for the last hour"

That self-satisfied smile turned slightly predatory. The servant wisely kept himself silent.

 _The bond has finally come to life, established if not malnourished. Consolidated with his desires and her young hesitance, she'd come around to him eventually._

 _He'd be everything she ever wanted._

XxxxXxxxX

Violet Potter is the kind of girl who never expected a lot out of life.

Ever since she could remember, every time she's built expectations around something or other, something or other would go wrong. It's not a matter of happenstance, it's a surety that followed Violet for years.

 _And yet…_

The Dursleys would make up all sorts of ridiculous things she's supposedly responsible for and punish her, the Teachers wouldn't let her change classes away from Dudley, Aunt Petunia would kick the puppy who followed her home from the dumps back into the dumpster… and later, when she's found magic and allowed a little spark of _hope_ to shine in her heart, Violet wasn't really disappointed when it all came crashing down on her.

She's almost glad it did.

It means at least that little bit about her is still the same.

She thought she could be just another little girl in the magic school – before, she was Dudley's troubled cousin, or the girl who always got in trouble, or the girl who anyone would pick in the courtyard. Never just another girl – Violet Potter discovered she'd _never_ be just another girl, she's the Girl-Who-Lived, after all.

So really, the moment her guard dropped and she dared to dream of a Voldemort-free world… she's literally kicked out of it.

" _Unfair doesn't exist for people like you, Violet, you need to take your future into your own hands and decide for yourself what is really of worth_ " Luna told Violet once upon a time, when the blond, spacey witch found Violet in the train, hidden under her invisibility cloak after Pansy, Draco's little bitch broke her nose and a rib, then petrified her leaving the green eyed witch for dead.

Violet expected a very painful night, listening to her own rattling breath and trying to contain a cascade of angry tears.

She was at least hopeful that a house-elf or a station worker would stumble upon her eventually, she's not really afraid of dying or of pain… she's spent worst nights curled up in her cupboard after Uncle Vernon pulled out his belt.

' _Freaky girl! Don't you dare step a toe out of line again!' – The snap of the belt was heard before she felt the pain. Always the sound before the pain._

But _Luna_ came…

The last thing to confirm that fate had it in store for Violet was that right after she managed to get a _fair_ one on one against Voldemort, and _win,_ she's yet again had her world turned upside down – unable to reap the joys of her victory or mourn for those who fell. ' _I don't even know who survived!'_

It hurt.

As she lays on the comfortable bed, looking around the richly decorated room which obviously belonged to a wizard's house from the faintly drawn runes all over the walls and the open floating flames instead of lamps – Violet forced her mind to _remember_.

Voldemort's wand crossed against hers – her seemingly naïve Expeliarmus spell casting a bright, strong red light that clashed against the vicious deadly green from her nemesis' killing curse.

' _Silly, naïve, stupid Potter. Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, thrice is a conspirancy'_ _Three times Voldemort hurtles killing curses in her direction. She survives the first two, the third is wide open for debate._

A shift in her perception was all it took for Voldemort to get the upper hand – the sickly green was almost upon her, she could feel her own doom – accepted it even. But then she thought of her friends, the family she made and suddenly, it wasn't the green which dominated their circle in Hogwarts' courtyard, but the red - proud and strong.

It rolled over Voldemort, pushing his own foul magic back in his direction.

Overhead, behind the castle' skyline, a storm brewed ferociously, fed by the wild magical energy pouring from the dozens of duels happening simultaneously – attracted by the breaking point in history – it was a chapter about to be written.

 _Little nodes, made of tears, blood and sacrifice._

It could happen either ways: How Violet Potter dueled the Dark Lord Voldemort and _won,_ freeing the wizarding world from his demented reign of fear and death.

Or.

How the Dark Lord Voldemort dueled Violet Potter and _won_ , revolutionizing the wizarding world and putting the muggles in their place.

 _History written by the victor…_

' _Will I even have the chance to write my own story?'_

The wind picked up, time stopped as green eyes met furious red. Violet pushed her magic to its limit, and in the end, she might have been the only witness to Tom Riddle's last, desperate expression as he was consumed by his own rage in death.

Rain started falling.

Clouds swirled with wind and lightning as Voldemort's followers fell to their knees in surrender. She had a minute in which everyone stared at each other as if wondering what was coming next… And then, with a crack of power and light, Violet's world turned white.

Next thing she knows?

Through hazy eyes, she was able to see the silhouette of a man – he wore glasses and had long dark hair – his voice was kind, though the last thing she wanted to hear.

" _What… who are you…?_ " Violet rasped, magically drained and utterly exhausted. She's been dead only a scant minutes before and now… now she has no idea what's going on.

' _Is Hermione alright, is Ron? Is Neville? Did Luna escape? Did Remus…? Did I do it? Is Voldemort dead?'_

She vaguely saw the man's expression soften while his eyes glinted through the shadows cast on his face.

"All will be answered soon, precious one, sleep for now"

Violet fought the command. Resisted and struggled the call of sleep as valiantly as she could. _'I want to know what happened to my friends! Where is everyone!?'_

But just as part of her hesitated, another part, buried deeper and instinctual ceded – in the end, Violet fell asleep despite not wanting to.

Wondering absently why the man felt so familiar.

XxxxXxxxX

When Violet woke up the first time, she was utterly lost and confused enough to forget herself.

It hurt so bad…

All she wanted to do was curl into a ball in the back of her dark cupboard and cry.

She remembers crying her eyes out on a stranger's arm, and that his kind soft words were slightly comforting, if not infuriating at the same time.

' _And he's here, sitting right beside me!'_

There was this burning melancholic halo around the man she found sitting at her bedside, staring at her through dark blue eyes that shifted to darkened silver every now and then.

Now, under better light she could appreciate his features better – Long black colored hair that fell in straight locks gracefully down his shoulder. Slight Asian features easily seen through his slanted, almond shaped eyes and elegant, high cheekbones. He looked to be on his late twenties or perhaps early thirties, though with magical people it was hard to gauge true age.

The man seemed tall, though he was sitting down.

Violet could appreciate his stature through long legs hidden by the wizard's bulky robes. She could also easily see his House's colors – his clothes and the color theme around the room were done mostly in dark blue, gold or black.

Broad shouldered and powerful, his very presence sent Violet on edge and made her toes curl at the same time.

 _Predator_.

Her mind whispered, acknowledging the bigger threat in the room. Gaining confidence by noticing his benign disposition, the young witch struggled to a sitting position so they'd be on equal grounds before uttering a faint and utterly ground breaking:

"Who are you?"

His deep eyes softened as he regarded her fully.

The smile that stretched his lips was _breathtaking._

Violet could be forgiven for the sputtering beats of her hearts because – dimples. His pale face was luminous, and his expression open and friendly. Something in her chest relaxed minutely just as a breath left her lips.

"My name is Clow Reed, precious one, can you tell me your name?" He said with a certain expectation, as if waiting to be recognized.

Did he do something noteworthy or wrote a book recently?

Hermione would know better _except she isn't here and he still wants an answer and oh Merlin, please don't let this be another Voldemort follower._

And then came ' _Who does he think he is to call me that?'_ That rebellious fire lit in Violet when she thought of how Dumbledore had manipulated her for years with his grandfatherly poise and harmless eyes.

It chaffed.

She ached.

It _hurt_.

"... Violet Potter...And I'm not your precious one" Violet corrected, a little hastily and freaked out. Who's he to call her by a pet name? But she swallowed her sudden discomfort and continued questioning "how - how did I end up here? Where am I"

 _Through lightning, light and noise and power. 'Clouds swirling in the sky and swallowing me whole and-'_ Clow Reed's face fell into a frown. He should be smiling – Violet pushed that train of thought violently out of her head ' _I barely know him'_ she told herself confusedly.

"I'm sorry, that's a question I cannot answer right now... I can tell you where you are though; we are in my estate, a few dozen miles north of London. You fell from a Storm"

 _-Cold, so cold, hurtling through the rain hopelessly until she was caught by warm, strong arms and cradled protectively against a gentle chest._

"Oh..." Violet breathed out, assaulted by images, colors and sensations. She was marginally aware of a protective hand caressing her own in slow, drawn motions - making her heart skip another beat and shivers run down her spine – it was pleasure.

She wanted comfort and pleasure right now – _but is Voldemort gone? Is Hermione alright? Is Ron? Is everyone? –_ And Violet didn't feel she deserved comfort, so she drew away, ignoring the faltering look mysteriously alluring Clow Reed sent her.

"What is the last thing you remember?" His voice had a cadence Violet found almost criminal. Velvety soft and deep, a voice that commanded attention, made to sing rhymes and call out spells. _But through this all looks really obvious, is he really a wizard?_

' _Can I trust him? Won't I get in trouble?'_ The witch hesitated, simply because she had no fond memories of the Ministry and held no wish to be court martialed a second time. _' I can even read the letter "Miss Violet Potter, you were caught exposing the Enclaves to a muggle. Kindly give up your wand so we can try to break it_ again _and kick you out of Hogwarts' "_

"A-are you a... um..." Clow Reed smiles encouragingly as she search for words "...Wizard" she settles for.

' _But would it be a_ _ **bad**_ _thing if I received a Ministry owl? At least I'd know they still exist!'_

"Indeed, Miss Potter, though I am considered more a Sorcerer due to the scale of my powers" _Reassuring._ "Can you say what is it you remember last?"

' _Oh yes, I can'_

He takes her hand again, this time more cautiously. Violet allowed the contact if only because her mind was playing her last minutes on Hogwarts' grounds with feverish fervor…

… And the last thing she wanted was his kind, soulful eyes boring into her when she was bathed in memories of blood and spellfire, watching as her home fell under siege and her not knowing the fate of her friends.

"I... I was at Hogwarts" She started to say, only to notice his faintly inquiring eyes. When people talked about Hogwarts, their eyes always gained that sparkle of life so inherently _familiar_. Clow Reed doesn't know what Hogwarts is. _Its utter madness_ "You don't know what Hogwarts is? But you clearly have magic!"

' _Am I going insane? Is this another afterlife? I'd rather have Dumbledore, please. Thank you'_

However dark her thoughts were, Clow Reed chuckled.

A deep, resonating sound that made her feel as if he was patronizing her in some way. Yet as his eternally gentle eyes regarded her as if she was a _precious,_ _priceless, irreplaceable gift_ , Violet relaxed.

He isn't mocking.

"And can you say for yourself that you know all there is to know about the world?" _Well, no_ "We don't even know from where you came from, my dear, finish your tale"

"Right... right" And once more, images of frightening spells flying overhead, of listening to the cries of the others, of praying her friends would be alright. Tom Riddle's Avada Kedavra breaking against her chest, his corrupted and malicious magic filling her every pore with _death_ …even the texture of Hagrid's robes when she woke in his large arms with tear droplets sliding down her neck from the gentle half-giant's eyes.

Violet didn't realize she was crying until Clow Reed had her pressed against his side. ' _Why can't things go my way for once?'_

"Shh... You're safe with me, shh... don't cry my dear one, nothing will not reach you here, you are alive-" The scent of parchment, tea and _magic_ filled her senses, calming her down as much as his words and gestures did.

Inexplicably, the half-forgotten memory of an afternoon spent in potion class, with Slughorn prompting everyone to take a sniff of _amortentia_. Violet, moody and sad after Sirius' death gave a halfhearted attempt at participating, and was only a little disappointed that she didn't recognize the smell she got.

Not entirely.

It didn't make sense then, but it _does_ now.

 _The combined smell of foreign spices mixing with the addicting tang of magic – unfamiliar and dark, it curls in her nostrils for a second or two, before giving way to a softer aftertaste of tea._

"Is-is Voldemort gone?" She asked half coherently, forgetting she hadn't actually told him anything. Her mind a haze she couldn't make heads nor tails of.

"I don't know, but I can find out" through the haze of her tears and the roaring of blood in her ears, she heard his words and drowned in them "Would you like to rest a little before we talk more?"

' _I need to know more.'_

' _A couple of things don't add up'_

like the fact he doesn't recognize her, and the classic decoration that looks brand new. The air smells clean, cleaner than even at Hogwarts, as if pollution didn't have the time to creep into everywhere yet.

' _No technology visible… even from Draco's house we could see the electric street lamps'_

"No… I'm fine. First, what year is it?"

 _There is no dreading the question now._

…

XxxxXxxxX

TBC!


	6. Part IV

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(First Arc: The witch from another world)  
(Part 04)

XxxxXxxxX

…

 _There is no dreading the answer now._

Clow Reed is necessarily merciless with it.

"The year of our queen 1856" Her blood turned to ice. All that kept Violet from breaking apart at the seams was the enchantingly powerful sorcerer holding her together. She clung to him, desperate and shocked. "I take it you've been temporarily displaced as well?" His calm is minutely sedating her.

Violet breathes.

Dread, fear, loneliness.

Crushing these feelings seemed impossible, so Violet just let herself depend on Clow for now.

"Oh Merlin, a hundred years...! What will I do?" She begged, cringing at the way her voice broke. She's seventeen and hasn't the most enviable education in the world. Oh, she does know how to house keep at least, but would it be enough to tide her over in Victorian England? Would it help her go back home?

"You can stay within my home for as long as you need, we can find a way back to wherever or whenever you came from" And Clow Reed speaks so confidently that Violet manages to relax.

 _..._

 _Something of his burrows underneath her skin…_

 _..._

That surety of his, the confidence and pride… It crawls deeper inside of Violet than nothing else ever did before.

"I can't burden you!"

...

 _"Freak! You're worthless without us! We took you in from the goodness of our hearts and this is how you repay us? Ungrateful little whelp, it would have been better if you had died with your good for nothing parents"_

...

"Don't worry, I have the means to support you - and if you're worried about being a burden, I am a master, Miss Potter, you can stay as my student until we find what can be done about you, yes?... Sleep a little more, I will have someone prepare a bath for you - and a change of clothes - you can dine with me if you're feeling better, we can resume talking then"

His words ease her fears, and his powers swears to protect her.

 _'His aura is calming'_

"Alright, I think I can do that"

 _'Ultimately, landing here might not have to be bad. But I still want to go home'_

XxxxXxxxX

True to his word, an hour or two after Clow left, a female servant came knocking on the room's door.

' _It is a little weird knowing_ human _servants are working here, and not house elves…'_ Violet thought numbly, still trying to find parallels.

' _Clow is a wizard… well, sorcerer… so where are his house elves?'_

"Um… sorry, are there only humans working here?" – sounded like a really rude thing to ask the maid – _greying hair pulled tightly in a working knot, severely pressed clothes in the Reed's house colors and holding a bundle in her arms –_ So Violet was actually saved from having to ask such question when the older woman presented the witch with a door she previously hasn't thought about much.

 _'A bathroom. A connecting bathroom'_ Who would have thought?

Getting herself off the bed was the easier part, though. Violet's legs shook horribly, and her belly clenched at the movement. A thin, bony hand went to brace her body against the headboard while the other was obliged to push dark burnt red colored strands of hair away from startling green eyes.

"Uh… My hair is so greasy!" Violet noticed in disgust as soon as she finished getting steady. Not only her hair, her body felt sticky and dirty – like she's sweat a lot and bathed under rain…

"… _You fell from a Storm_ …"

' _That explains it'_ The memories evoked were painful. _'Think Violet… priorities… what should I do now?'_

' _I can start by having a bath'_ She thought hysterically.

So what if the maid was there to draw a bath for her, or that she had nothing to wear but soiled bed sheets? _'This way I'll start to feel right at home… all I'm missing is Aunt Petunia harping from the kitchen and for Uncle Vernon's purpling face'_ The sarcasm was desperate and painful, if anything.

As if reading her mind, the aforementioned maid presented the bundle she was holding to a dazed Violet, who still stood on wobbly legs and needed the walls to remain upright.

"Miss. Master Clow has ordered these delivered to you" Non nonsense voice, deep and steady. The maid hurried to the bathroom while leaving Violet contemplating the dress she's been given.

Amongst thoughts of _'How did he know this would fit'_ to _'I look horrible in blue'_ as her mind decided to just shut itself for a while, Violet gave the maid a few minutes at least so the tub will be filled.

Only, she allowed herself to truly relax in the sparkling bubble bath.

Though she didn't really remember much of it… _'Being waited on is odd!'_ That's the least of her problems.

…

After dressing in the _blue and golden, relatively simple_ dress, the young green eyed woman was guided to a private and cozy study room, walls covered in shelves upon shelves of books and knickknacks, scrolls and maps and _magic_ surrounding everything.

The maid who picked Violet from her room –

" _What's your name?"_

" _Katya, mistress"_

" _I'm not-"_

" _Follow me please"_

– brought the young witch to the end of the room, behind a wide, massive wooden table and a high backed chair where a large bay window was hidden by dark blue draperies.

The small veranda, although somewhat secluded, offered a breathtaking view of the gardens surround the manor – magically blossoming cherry trees lining stone paths and water fountains sending sparkling droplets up the air to embrace the waning moonlight, all illuminated by undulating fairy lights.

The aftermath of the storm earlier that day was clear in the way the air smelt _charged_ , heavy and fresh at the same time.

"Good evening Miss Potter, I was hoping you would join me" The smile he offered was so beautiful and _relieved_ that Violet wondered how she could even _deny_ his future invitations. It felt empowering, seeing her mere presence – _Violet's presence never amounted to anything but disaster and bad luck –_ cause such genuine reactions in someone she's met barely a day.

Katya the reticent maid received a nod from her master and promptly left the veranda, leaving Violet contemplating the view and the simple, if delicious, looking dinner on the garden table made for two.

' _I'm not hungry'_ Her stomach protested, rolling and aching at the same time. _'Seize the day'_ Violet told herself firmly _'carpe diem'_ After all; Clow Reed was going to help her.

 _Help her go home, if that's even possible. Violet would force herself to be content if all he can do is tell her, her friends are alive and Voldemort is truly gone._

Clow Reed stood from his seat and as a gentleman; he bowed over Violet's hand and guided her to her chair. Throughout all this, the witch's cheeks blazed in pleased embarrassment. Not even her date to the Yule ball in fourth year was so courteous.

 _She went with Ron. He spent more time complaining about Hermione than realizing Violet was bored and irritated by his inability to pay attention to her. She's a girl too. She had a princess' dream of a ball once._

 _A shame, really, that the man she admired would never look at her like a woman._

"I guess I should start saying Thank you" The green eyed witch offered a plain smile in return, cheeks aching with the effort to hold the almost foreign expression. "I… don't know what I'd have done if I was by myself lost a hundred years in the past"

 _Waking up alone in her bed in the Dursley's house after Sirius' death was torture. Her thoughts swirled down a dark path, filled with mad cackles and green light and_ _ **pain**_ _. Violet doesn't want to go through such a horrible experience (alone) again._

"Think nothing of it" Clow told her reassuringly. Sitting himself after allotting Violet on her own seat. He even pushed her chair. A handsome, powerful man. She's met many – _Malfoy Jr. and Sr., Sirius heck, even Tom Riddle –_ but none of them ever looked at her like Clow did.

The dinner itself…

Violet was mortified by her lack of education in etiquettes.

She felt like a bumbling elephant when comparing her table manners to Clow's, though he never commented on it. He just kept smiling at her, kindness and patience and dare she think it – _love_ – in his eyes. They traded niceties through dining, with Violet praising the chef or commenting on the climate.

' _Now is the time. Brace yourself Potter'_

"Can… can you send me back?" She asked abruptly, already feeling anticipation fill her every pore.

Her host stopped all motion, his face blanked carefully and he meticulously met her eyes, conveying all manner of things through them alone. Violet felt her breath caught in her throat.

 _Whatever the answer is, it isn't good…_

She told herself to be strong. She's being strong everyday of her life.

"No… It is unfortunately outside my jurisdiction" He revealed slowly, carefully, regret now bending his elegant eyebrows down. "I must ask of you now. Would you like to know the truth? I won't ever utter a lie to you, Miss Potter; however the truth can be unpleasant no matter how one words it"

"What truth?" Violet's heart was like a hummingbird, hammering violently in her chest. The good food she's eaten now threatened to leave her turbulent stomach, and the sweet, fruity wine became dull and dry.

"You've not only been moved in time, but space as well" Clow told Violet. She froze. Every single cell of her body protesting the sheer _injustice_ of it all and _It's not fair!_

' _Yet. It is something I've been expecting'_

And ' _How does he know?'_

"How…?" It's so heavy a question that her tongue almost couldn't move to shape it.

Dark blue eyes shone under the moonlight, revealing a mysterious silvery sheen in his gaze that reflected the barely contained power humming just under his skin. He still wore dark blue, black and gold, elegant and tall and _powerful_.

Violet trusted this man. _'Inexplicably, utterly mad and without reason'_ Telling her something so painful and teasing her raw, shaking nerves… It hurt all the more because _she trusted him_.

Something writhing under her skin with his every glance, the very air sparked when their eyes met, and her skin lit on fire whenever he bestowed his touch.

' _I've never felt this way before'_

An instinctive action on her part, the same crazy part of her that led her to trusting Sirius in third year, and trusting Narcissa Malfoy in the _end_ …

' _He knows what I want to know'_

The tilt to his lips turn grim.

It's not a smile, yet not a grimace – a parody between, that doesn't deserve a place on his face, as if he could see inside her thoughts.

"My true gift is prescience; I can see everything from past, presence and future" Clow revealed carefully. "And I cannot _see_ you. I've looked for you throughout future events and parallels worlds and I can't _find_ _you_. Not this version of you at least, not one who knows magic and comes back a hundred years to the past"

Violet wanted to argue like she's never have done before. The feeling of powerless rage that took over her when she destroyed the Headmaster's office, or the utter _anger_ she felt when she had to patch Hermione's arm up after Bellatrix' little carving scheme…

' _It's not_ _ **fair**_ _. Haven't I sacrificed enough? It wasn't even_ _ **my**_ _fault that I ended up here!_ '

She wanted to deny and wanted to topple the gorgeous table down the garden bellow – something in her chest just _broke_. Her magic thrashed around her, making individual strands of burgundy colored hair to rise and sparkle, the cutlery between them on the table rattled dangerously – It took more than a few minutes for the witch to regain control.

...

 _When she blinked, Violet could see behind her eyelids. Light, laughter and joy. She could feel all-encompassing arms reaching for her and never letting go. For a moment she_ believes _and calms down_.

...

The duality of feelings draw a storm in her chest. But something is keeping everything in check.

"Does it mean I don't exist anymore?" She had to ask once her temper was not in danger of flaring _explosively_.

Clow regarded her impassively, something not _pity_ in his expression but definitely soft.

"Oh you do. You are still here. What I mean is that you didn't exist in this time-line before your appearance here… I cannot see you because I can look only forward, backwards and sideways in time – you might have existed somewhere beyond even what I can see. That's another's area of expertise and even then there are heavy prices to pay for those who play with universal forces" He paused, giving Violet's enraged mind time to _absorb_ the information "There _are_ ways to return you to your world, don't mistake my hesitance to disclose those means as unwillingness to help you"

The green eyed witch calmed down. She understood and accepted his words – he had no reason to lie, and he said he wouldn't tell her lies.

"What prices?"

The powerful sorcerer in front of her didn't change. Yet the air around him shimmered with motes of power, making Violet _know_ he found both the question she's asked and the answer he'd give displeasing.

 _But he wouldn't lie._ That's what is important.

Clow Reed reigned in his own power now, closed his eyes in resignation and smiled a particularly strange smile. "Oh Miss Potter… A universal law is; to gain something, you have to give up something of equal value to keep the balance. Right now, what is of most importance to you?"

...

 _When she faced against the Boggart, or when she was surrounded by Dementors bent on sucking out Sirius' soul. The thing she values most and is most afraid of losing is her_ _ **happiness**_ _. It means magic, Hogwarts, her friends._

 _But didn't she lose all of that already?_

...

"I don't know" Violet managed to say, chest tight. "I… I have to think about it…"

XxxxXxxxX

TBC


	7. Part V

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(First Arc: The witch from another world)  
(Part 05)

XxxxXxxxX

Violet learned a lot more things about Clow Reed during the dinner than she had that first night.

 _It's been a week since then._

He's apparently extremely famous and revered in magical societies. _'Another thing we have in common. Only, he's famous for something he did while I was a scapegoat…'_

Magical society in this world is composed by Families. _'Nothing new here too… except that in this world there wasn't a Hogwarts to unify the enclaves, and the families and clans remained isolated'_

When the founders unified and created Hogwarts, they did so with the intention of better teaching the magical arts in a more organized way. By dividing the particular subjects and lecturing on them separately, following the existing masteries – It worked in a similar way to a master/apprentice contract where Hogwarts students would optimistically graduate at least a journeyman in their field.

' _Magic here is taught by masters and is jealously kept by each family… someone like Clow who is open to teaching students must be very treasured'_

Indeed. Everyone wants a piece of Clow Reed's legacy because he's debatably the most powerful sorcerer of all times, with far reaching sight and prescience, aside from elemental control and an intelligence that could cross the very stars.

' _And he's taken me under his wings. Why?'_ It's just a small measure of suspicious. Violet manages to fall right in this man's arms. It's no coincidence. _'He's said he pulled me out of the storm. Does that mean anything?'_ Her _true_ knowledge of sorcery is lamentably lacking.

' _Oh…_ that _is another thing'_ Magical fields also worked a little differently here.

While Violet could say she's relatively good at witchcraft - the art of potion making, divination and herbology – she could also claim titles of adept sorceress – for elemental magic in the form of spells, crude as the elemental wand spells were if compared to what could be reached with true mastery and a staff – and aspiring wizard, for her knowledge of transfiguration and charm work – like warding and enchanting.

' _What makes a witch and a wizard? In this world they work separately… I can claim to be a witch who also practices wizardry and sorcery'_ She hesitantly concluded ' _would it be too much outside the norm? Clow is a sorcerer who knows wizardry, witchcraft and battle magic'_

Clow Reed is a master sorcerer, an elemental mage that also knew the subtler arts of wizardry and a little of witchcraft. His title as the most powerful also came from his acquired alchemy knowledge gathered through his ample interest in many areas of study – for everything he is, Clow Reed is also the most _feared_.

' _Where did all this thirst for knowledge came?'_ She inwardly wondered.

Violet could understand that though.

Appreciate it even.

It is something that drove her in the beginning, when she was first introduced to magic and just wanted to fit in. _'But Ron never demonstrated even the slight interest in learning, and he was a prime example of a wizard raised boy… if he could fit in with horrible scraping by, so could I… I'm sorry Hermione – for all your eagerness, guess even I was also a little judgmental because you're muggleborn'_

And then things came to this… Clow's thirst for power.

He didn't tell her much about his past yet, but what she's managed to gleam from the scattered gossip between both servants and students, his past wasn't the brightest around. Violet could also wholeheartedly relate to that, if anything. ' _A whole lot of parallels, really'_

And Clow's power is frightening.

' _Love and hate. People love and hate they do, or love to hate and hate to love. I'm used to that, aren't I?'_ Magic yielding clans and families hounded the sorcerer like dogs slobbering over a juice slab of meat – they coveted his might and feared it, feared that he'd go to another family and they'd rise above everyone else.

Not just that. Power is _dangerous_. Too much power is _deadly_.

To appease those families that he wasn't about to go on a rampage and go world conquering any time soon, the master sorcerer dubbed as a teacher. Which means his house is filled with adepts from magical lines seeking his ample knowledge and his study ethics – he didn't sit in a classroom all day, but he did hold workshops and guided the apprentices' studies.

The green eyed witch sat back on the chair she's claimed in Clow's personal study to think about what happened this past week as she waited for her _master_ to make an appearance.

' _Funny how that happened…'_

…

Violet could say with only a modicum of shame that the day after her arrival in this world was spent locked in her room brooding over everything.

' _There's that old quote my first grade teacher said in the waiting room, when no one was there to hear but me, who was hiding from Duddley in a cupboard'_ She'd muse nostalgically. " _'I feel always feel Happy. Know why? Because I expect nothing from no one. The only problem you can't solve is death. Life is short, so love it! Live intensely with no regrets'_ " Ironically, that teacher resigned from the school and no one ever heard from her again.

Because the short child that she was back then had nothing to her name, felt hated by her family and managed to grasp what life in a small community meant: The horrible gossip aunt Petuna spread would ensure the little girl had no friends.

' _So much for missing home… I think I will start losing my mind when I miss the Dursleys'_

Not ever. No.

Violet just laid curled on her bed, nestling under the covers and hiding from the world – she could have pretended that she was back at Hogwarts, but the comforting smells she's come to associate with her beloved school were all wrong.

' _There isn't the strange scent coming from the forbidden forest, or the wet biting smell from the black lake. There are no sounds of my roommates or their pets, no tiny rustles from the house-elves'_

It was all so very wrong.

At least Clow Reed was making sure she was still alive.

The manor' servants knocked on her door a couple of times that morning, but when the witch replied with a barely heard grunt and they'd leave her alone for the next hour or so.

They were respecting her privacy, Violet acknowledged that, and was also thankful she was giving the time for herself. _'What can I do? Will I be able to go back home?'_ thoughts that sent her spiraling into depression – so Violet had to endure the onslaught of negative feelings and rise above them.

' _You are a survivor Violet, do as survivors do'_

By noon, there weren't many tears to cry anymore. And Violet was honestly tired of feeling sorry for herself. ' _What use there is?'_ She mused, rubbing her aching, swollen eyes. _'It still hurts, will hurt for a while until I manage to go back'_ But there's nothing stopping her from enjoying this adventure.

' _Yes. Let's call this an adventure! Clow is a sorcerer; he also offered to teach me… If I don't take this opportunity Hermione will be so disappointed!'_ Were the thoughts that Violet violently planted in her mind so she wouldn't fold into depression.

Maybe there are such things as the stages of grief.

Being positive and looking for a silver lining never worked for her before, but hey! It worked for Dumbledore plenty of times! _'If I give one more chance. If I stand up and fight just once more, maybe it will make a difference this time'_ What was the deffinition of insanity again?

So Violet took the rest of the day to mourn and brood, but by the third day of her arrival here, she had a new purpose. ' _Learn, live and thrive. When the time comes that I'm certain of the price to pay for going home, I will do it'_

' _No matter what'_ She promised herself.

The third day started with the young woman requesting a meeting with Clow Reed.

"I am glad to see you're faring better Miss Potter" He regarded her with a warmth that sent tingles down Violet's back.

How come he treated her so highly? Compared to him she was but an inexperienced child – he has that Dumbledore-ish aura of power that set him above the rest, even the best of them. Plus none of the wrinkles...

' _It's too soon to think about **that**...'_

"I had time to think about stuff" Her shoulder went up in a shrug. She was given a spare change of clothes after her first day when she had a bath – ' _Used to bathtubs, but the ornate bathroom and the servant waiting for me was a little… off putting'._ The servant doesn't wait for Violet anymore after her protests though.

"What can I do for you, then?" Green met deep blue. His eyes were still mysterious and as pretty as when she first woke up here. His tall, slender form seemingly filled a space larger than it occupied as he lounged on his office chair.

Violet didn't hesitate. She's learned by now that Clow Reed's unexplainable charitable streak when concerning her was _wide_. "If I am to stay here, I'm going to need some more clothes, toiletries and other…supplies"

"Of course Miss Potter" Clow smiled cheerfully "How would you like to visit town for the morning? You can pick whatever you need there"

"Yeah, that sounds nice" She nodded "I'd also like a wand, if it's possible"

"It is" The seemingly ethereal sorcerer nodded once, though he looked conflicted for a moment "It might take a while to procure a wand maker willing to make a wand for you, or teach us how to do it… should you be willing to wait for longer, I will look into it"

Not understanding why procuring a wand was so troublesome _'Aren't they supposed to be common tools?'_ Violet could only blink in exasperation. She _hated_ being wandless. It translated to being _defenseless_ quite too easily.

"Why?" Clow looked at her with bewilderment written all over his eyes. Violet cleared her throat awkwardly. "I mean, why is it so hard to get me a wand?"

The sorcerer smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes "You will come to learn, Miss Potter, that magicians guard their craft like dragons guard treasure"

"Oh…"

' _Is this how Alice felt when she first stepped into wonderland?'_ The green eyed witch thought mulishly, honestly frustrated. ' _Everything seem the same, but magic is completely different… at least they still have dragons here'_

Her host spared Violet a look filled with foreign emotion – fingers twitching under the sleeves of his robes. She didn't notice, staring at the tiled floor and sinking into a bad mood.

"Call for the carriage, Miss Potter and I are going to town" Clow called for John - who was dutifully waiting outside, letting Violet to awkwardly scuffle her foot on the ground. She's still wearing her old sneakers, thankful that they are easily hidden under her skirts. "Just a few minutes, my dear" He turned to the witch, offering a hand and a grin.

' _I can't even say anything about the 'my dear' of his!'_ Violet thought indignantly. ' _Not when he's already being so nice… oh, Merlin's wrinkled knee!'_

"Not yours anything" She mumbled under her breath, shaking her head.

…

Accepting the hand, Violet let the older man guide her through the manor until they reached a foyer that she hadn't visited before –having gone only from her room to Clow's quarters.

As their skin made contact, a shockingly warm feeling blossomed inside her chest. _Their bond thrummed satisfied, his ethereal, jubilant laugher echoed in the ether_. The witch couldn't tell what was going on, but she sure as heck _felt_.

' _What is the meaning of this? This tingle beneath my skin must be magic, but why is it reaching out so much?'_ the dreams came suddenly to mind. Violet's cheeks burned until the heat spread and her whole head was red. _'Those bloody dreams! How can I look Clow in the eyes having those… dreams in my head?'_

' _Later Violet. Think about these things when you're not holding his hand'_

The large entrance room was large and spacious, with tall, open windows that were doing a good job in letting warm, soft morning sunlight in. There was a brilliant iron wroth chandelier up the arched roof, and delicate, beautiful drawings of clouds all over the overhead plastering – reminding Violet of Hogwarts, even though these aren't charmed. The front door was grand and intricately decorated, a gold motif depicting a sun and a moon hung on the far wall, where a robust staircase led to a second and third floor.

The pair of magic wielding people came from said staircase, Violet holding onto the elbow of her guide and protector as he led her down the steps.

They also weren't alone.

"Excuse us teacher, but who is this?" Violet peeked from Clow' side as a group of young men and women circled around them.

The boy who spoke was handsome, with curly brown hair, deep eyes and an olive complexion that spoke of his Spanish origins. There was a cold calculating glint in his dark eyes as he regarded Violet's proximity to Clow.

' _If Zack Smith had a Spanish twin I'm sure their sneers wouldn't look more similar'_

Aside from him, the ones who caught Violet's attention most were a pretty Asian woman – her features seemed a lot like Cho's, so Violet guessed a Chinese origin, a blonde, blue eyed girl who was a couple of years older than the green eyed witch and a young looking boy with strawberry blond colored hair and green eyes.

These were Clow' students, each dressed in conservative clothes but not the robes she's always seeing the master sorcerer wear – not even his house's colors.

' _I will be joining them, it seems'_ Violet thought, fighting down the urge to fidget when Clow turned around so she'd be more visible to the crowd. Then she realized something that sent a jolt of ice down her stomach ' _There is something wrong'_ the witch fretted, widening her attention.

"Why, this is my new apprentice" The smile on his face was impish. Violet realized he is having fun then, and by looking at the frustrated glares she received, she could understand _why_. He likes messing up with them! "Miss Potter, allow me to introduce you to my students. This is Eduardo Del Parole, he specializes in elemental magic. That one is Lady Charlotte Dubois, her family is quite well known for their forays in rituals and thaumaturgy. The dark haired lady is Xiao Ling Li, adept spell crafter and battle-mage, and this young man is Edgar Manson, alchemy prodigy"

And isn't that an information dump! ' _Why don't they try to meet Clow Reed's eyes?'_

Violet smiled tentatively at the four, noting right away those who fell into the belligerent category and those who she'd try to get along with. The recurring theme in the eyes she received was _dislike at best_ , though. Not encouraging in the least.

The Chinese girl, Xiao Ling Li, was sending quite the impressive glare. The same derisive glint in her steely black eyes that Violet could see in Draco Malfoy's eyes back in the first train ride to Hogwarts _. 'That is one blood supremacy jerk or is she just stuck up?'_

"Hello, my name is Violet Potter. Nice to meet you" The witch offered with a slight curtsy as it's often done in the Enclaves still stubbornly fixated in the medieval era. She hoped it would be acceptable in Victorian England all the same.

Unbidden, a memory came to mind.

...

" _Miss Potter, at the reception of the Yule ball, you should curtsy to your partner like so – no, not so abruptly, flow with the movement like this" The elder witch demonstrated one more time. On the side where the other girls were practicing, Violet could hear their giggles. Hermione shared a commiserating look, but her parents had obviously paid for a couple of etiquette lessons._

" _Yes professor McGonagall"_

 _..._

Violet squashed it down before more unpleasant memories surfaced.

The blonde girl, Charlotte Dubois the ritualist, approached with a nice and open grin splattered on her face. That effectively sheared Violet from her memories for good.

' _Why don't I trust that smile?'_ The witch wondered, imagining absently that maybe a shark smiled like that to its food.

Her blue eyes were clear and friendly, a lot lighter than Clow's midnight colored ones, and closer in shade to a warm summer sky. "Nice to meet you! My name is Charlotte, please, no Miss Dubois, I get that enough from teacher and the others" She greeted enthusiastically. The other male students all rolled their eyes, while the other female hid her distaste better. "This will be my third month here! Oh! It is so nice to have another girl to talk to"

"Miss Dubois, I'm sure that teacher and Miss Potter were going somewhere before we inconvenienced them" Xiao Ling Li cut off Charlotte's babble. "Right teacher?" She turned large, hopeful eyes toward Clow. Her nicely sculpted face and exotic features really working for her innocent acting.

Violet felt a lump in her chest.

' _She might be smiling, but I bet she's plotting something'_ her experience in dealing with unreasonable people in general was telling.

Clow simply nodded once, tightening his hold on Violet's arm and sending a deep wave of _hang in there_ that had the green eyed witch almost stumble.

"Indeed Miss Li, Miss Potter and I are on our way to Cambridge. You should resume your studies" His smooth voice was a balm. Li's face darkened for a moment, a flash going through her eyes too quick for Violet to discern its meaning.

The sorcerer just _stared_ down at her, in that placid, calm and collected manner.

"Of course teacher" The Chinese battle mage bade a hasty retreat when under Clow's undivided scrutiny, making Violet finally understand what the weird vide she felt from the four.

 _Fear._

' _They ask for his teachings, they are undoubtly attracted by his power, and yet they fear him with the rightfulness of their families'_

…

 _Shaded eyes glaring at her from all corners as she passed through the corridors. They were scared of what she's capable of. They want her to fight their battles. She wanted to fight their battles so she could prove she was not_ _ **evil**_ _. That time when she was but twelve and vilified for the fact she could understand and talk to snakes had nothing on this permeating hatred/hope that now followed Violet everywhere._

…

' _Pay attention Violet'_

"Let us depart Miss Potter" Clow spoke, and before she knew it they were on their way out.

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~


	8. Part VI

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(First Arc: The witch from another world)  
(Part 06)

XxxxXxxxX

' _Pay attention Violet'_

"Let us depart Miss Potter" Her host escorted Violet to the bottom of the stair, changing his grip on her arm so he could touch the small of her back. A flutter of nerves sprung in the witch's heart, making it skip a beat at the light touch on a sensitive part of her body.

No one's ever touched her there. Not since she was eleven and away from Uncle's belts _._

"Oh, yeah" Violet managed without stuttering, and then she remembered what he said before and sent Clow a questioning look "Cambridge?"

The sorcerer nodded, idly leading them to the front of the manor, a servant opening the door for them.

"The college town" He introduced lightly "Even before the mundane people appropriated these lands for themselves, the magical community has been using it as a place to store knowledge of the mystic arts and as a communal center. Underneath the college is an underground passage that leads to the biggest magical library in the Queen's land" He explained, leading Violet down another set of stairs, these leading to the stone pathway into a blooming front garden "If you so desire, we can visit it some other time"

The coach was there along with a couple of horses and a nicely finished carriage. Violet hesitated for a moment; she's never been inside one of those before.

But Clow's reassuring hold pushed her forward, until he had both of them sat comfortably inside – the relatively spacious compartment was done in the sorcerer's colors, and there were windows framed by delicate curtains to allow Violet a view from the landscape if she so wished.

"Cambridge exists in my world too… but I don't think it's storing a magical library" the witch picked up the line of conversation once the carriage started moving, settling herself on the unfamiliar sensation of being inside an animal drawn vehicle. She'd honestly rather ride. Maybe Clow has horses or some other magical variant…

Then his smile turned absolutely mischief filled.

"And I am afraid that not much in terms of possessions came along with you, Miss Potter" He told her with such a straight face, that Violet _almost_ believed his innocence if it wasn't for the devious smile painting his face.

It took only a blink for Violet to understand.

' _Oh Merlin's holy woolen hat… is he implying that I fell naked in his arms?'_

Her face didn't take more than a second to flame up in embarrassment – no clothes, no shoes, no _wand_. ' _Whose wand did I finish using at the battle of Hogwarts anyway?'_

"Oh…" She mumbled under her breath, turning her head so the thick strands of dark brown/red curls could shade her ragingly red cheeks.

The master sorcerer chuckled, a dark sensuous sound that filled the air with motes of tingly magic.

' _Is this how mum felt being courted by a trickster?'_ Then she caught her own thoughts and blushed even harder _'Who said anything about courting?! Down Violet! Bad, bad witch!'_ No one would be interested in _her_ as a person! She's way too thin and had next to none womanly curves thanks to the horrible diet her "family" subjected her to.

"Indeed, Miss Potter" He told her about how he was called outside his courtyard by a thunderstorm, and caught her from lightning itself. "Do not worry yourself over the past, it was inevitable after all, and here we are on our way to pick you new supplies"

"But… did you see…" This time she did stutter.

It's not as if Violet was self-conscious about her own body too – she slept in a dormitory in which the only bathroom had to be shared between four girls – there were lots and lots of unwanted, female naked skin flashing.

' _Did you see my scars? Did you see how thin and inelegant I am?'_

"My eyes could only focus on your lovely face" Clow Reed kindly assured and Violet calmed down immediately, believing him. ' _How strange… and the dreams I've been having, the urge I have to lay myself in his arms and let him surround me entirely…_ _I don't think I'll mind too much if he saw me naked…'_ "And I believe you've gotten acquaintance of Ms. Katya, she's the one who has been taking care of you"

Shaking her head – her cheeks a lost cause by now, so red the color has been seared into her complexion permanently – the perils of having red hair genes.

"Thanks… I mean, thank you" Violet told him, later regretting it as she overthought things too much.

…

 _A dinner where she didn't even know how to use the silverware came to mind._

 _Hopefully he isn't embarrassed by her uncouth rearing, she certainly is embarrassed enough for the two of them already._

…

' _Why does it matter anyway? It's not like I have reason to feel shame of my education! Why does it have to be inadequate? If he's disappointed, he can go feed himself to Fluffy!'_ A silky, gentle voice would whisper in her ear thus: " _He isn't disappointed, he's ecstatic. You are his treasure, he will have you and love you no matter how you act or look_ "

As if sensing her mood, Clow Reed met her eyes with slanted blue ones "Miss Potter, you can use the words you feel most comfortable with. I understand this is not your time much less your world, so I'd have you feel free to your habits"

Her shoulders dropped a little.

' _He understands'_

"It's alright… I should get used to it anyway, you know? People have a lot of expectations of me" Violet urged him to take the bait, let her change the subject, steer it into something she was more willing to discuss.

"Merited?" Clow bit the figurative bait, contemplating her with that thoughtful, caring look he seemed to only spare for her.

Violet shook her head with a huff, hesitating only a bit. If she continued with this, she'd tell him about what led her here

"No… not in the beginning" She decided to go forward. ' _In for a Knut, in for a galleon'_

"You can trust me with your past, Miss Potter" His words were warm, serious and contemplating, he trailed off his first sentence, but then smiled lightly, dissipating the solemn statement but not erasing its' meaning "I should also know the limits of your knowledge if I am to teach you" he offered a valid excuse.

Accepting the words, the green eyed witch nodded again, sighing deeply while shifting on the carriage seat so she could spy out the window. The rolling landscape was calming – fields and fields passing by with the occasional richly constructed manor sprinkled in the distance.

If she tried hard enough, Violet was sure could pretend to be back in the Hogwarts express – maybe eleven again and heart filled only with excitement.

"Fine… It's not as if this is a secret back home anyway, and no one here would understand…"

Ever the gentleman, Clow offered a way out.

"If it is too personal…" His gaze bore into her, looking through Violet as if he could see all of her.

Only _there is no way I can live in his house, enjoy his hospitality and not show at least a little_ _ **trust**_. ' _It's not as if I don't trust him and I want to tell him'_

"If there's anyone who deserves know, I think it's you. Both of my closest friend know as well" The witch started, allowing her cheeks to move her lips into a small, dry grin "There was this Dark Lord… self-entitled as Lord Voldemort, though his real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle. He spent a decade terrorizing everyone, spreading vicious propaganda and violence in the Enclaves… One day, a prophecy was made – it told of a baby, a 'chosen one', someone who would have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. That was me" _'I hope this doesn't devolve into a sob story'_ "My story really starts on the night of Halloween in 1981, and it goes like this…"

So Violet told her story.

…

 _Light touches spreading a line of fire down her back._

 _She was curled forward, grasping at the bedspread, desperately gasping and gulping air as pleasure made her body tremble._

 _Large hands ascended from the curves of her waist, tracing tingly lines while they made their way to her breasts. A firm, encompassing touch and he had her flesh cased in his hands, nipples rolling between his fingers as his lips worshiped the skin of her neck._

 _Her back arched, naked flesh meeting his chest, hips meeting his - and legs entwining. His warmth was intoxicating, spreading through her body with every beat of her hammering heart._

" _Come here" He whispered in her year, twisting her body so she'd lie beneath him as he nestled between her legs. They were both naked, no clothes, no obstacle, just a haze of thick, pulsing magic to accompany every breath that left their lips, synchronizing until they were almost one._

 _He slowly moved down, trailing wet, sucking kisses all over her belly and torso, stopping only to swirl his tongue around her navel – exquisite pleasure shot through her nerves, making her stomach clench and her toes curl – he didn't stop there though. Down, down he went, until his hot, tenacious mouth found-_

…

Violet jerked awake with a startle.

Verdant eyes opened wide as a last wave of _pleasure_ rocked her body from head to toe. ' _Isn't this awkward!'_ And as a consequence, she found herself quite… uncomfortable in her small clothes and covered in sweat.

Spending almost seven years sharing a room with Lavander – arguably the one amongst the Gryfindor girls who managed to lose her virginity before all other girls… so she'd freely give advice even when _not_ asked…has taught Violet something.

' _I'm aroused'_ she admitted, nervously scanning the carriage and finding her companion. The _look_ he's sending her was downright sinful. Dark, heady and promising, with his lips pulled in a smirk that jerked at her core… and then, before Violet could contemplate the meaning of his stare, the sorcerer _shifted,_ eyes hooding and face blanking.

"I hope you had a nice nap" He spoke, voice still low "I thought you would appreciate the scenic route back to the manor the best, but it seems you're still a little tired after all"

The witch nodded sharply, eyes wide. "Y-yes. I'm sorry for passing out on you"

They spent the day in Cambridge, with Clow guiding Violet through the markets and helping her chose era appropriate clothes. They talked and talked _and talked_ , the young woman finding her attraction to him justified.

' _If Hermione had a crush on Lockhart in second year, I guess I had a small crush on professor Lupin… smart, powerful, dangerous older man, I'm seeing a pattern!'_

"Not at all" Clow Reed's lips stretched back into a grin, he seemed inordinately happy for some reason – Violet stopped short, suddenly getting the impression that she's done something incredibly embarrassing while asleep – she did have a… _vivid_ dream. "You can rest for the afternoon, I have some work to take care of but if you won't mind, accompany me for supper once more?" He asked her with a cheerfulness that made Violet's eye twitch.

She eyed him suspiciously.

"Um, no, I slept most of the ride back so I'm alright. I guess that since you have work, I will just explore a little" She paused, finding his eyes and hiding a seep blush. "And I'd love to have dinner again, thanks"

' _Right now, it sounds as if he's inviting me for a date!'_ She thought furiously, averting her eyes from his and accepting the gentlemanly hand being offered to help her down the carriage. ' _I feel like I'm in a fairytale… when is the other shoe going to drop?'_

 _She's not actually afraid he's only amusing himself at her expense. That's not conceivably_ _ **possible**_.

Though all it took was a moment of weakness to the unbidden depressive thought to surface ' _And what about when I go home?'_

' _I can't fall in love with Clow…'_

XxxxXxxxX

Clow Reed is a man of action.

Though for every action there is a plan.

The year of 1855 dawned with a series of inconspicuous dreams. Little hints like delicate butterfly wings brushing against his senses. Quick flashes of images alluding to a bigger picture, echoes of sounds singing a distant melody, ghosts of sensations making every nerve ending in his body alive…

And then by July he _knew_ something was coming. Yuuko just confirmed it. The information he received from his prescience was still scarce, though precious for its rarity.

And then almost a year later he met Violet Potter.

 _'Young, fresh, powerful and broken'_

He could see it as a light inside her eyes, they matched his. Their bond snapping into place and sending warmth through his being in thick, long waves… He discovered within the first day of truly interacting with Violet that although she's a naïve and inexperienced little thing, she had the irrevocable potential to _grow_ – _they_ could grow into something so much more.

He saw love.

If he managed to win her love there would not be a day in his life without happiness and smiles. It also brought enormous amounts of _relief_ because he _can't see Violet Potter_. To someone who has the level of prescience he does, _not knowing something is a **blessing**_.

But if he lost her…

…

 _A lonely little boy sits on a tall chair in front of a fireplace._

 _Empty eyed and pale faced._

 _At his feet lay a panther like creature, and kneading his shoulder is a pretty red haired girl with butterfly wings. He plots and plots, trying to find meaning in his actions. It helps – he's Eriol Hiragizawa and Kinomoto Fujitaka all at once and yet, he's none of them after all._

 _…_

No choice at all, in the end. He'd hold onto his precious broken gift and shelter her until her pieces were molded to his own.

 _Broken things belonged together._

First…

Paperwork.

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~


	9. Part VII

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it! 

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 07)

A week passed before Violet truly adjusted to her situation.

A week of being treated like a lady, of feeling ashamed of her poor manners – though that didn't last long. Violet is adaptive, she has to be, hadto be when once upon a time her very survival depended on her ability to adapt and learn quickly– It also helped enormously that Clow Reed has the patience of a saint and did everything slower so she'd pick it up.

It was also officially included in his new role in her life.

…

" _You will have to call me Master when in front of others, after all your official tittle is my apprentice. When we're in private, please call me Clow"_

 _She'd blush pleasantly and in embarrassment but agree nonetheless._

…

It certainly helped that in the enclaves, the Master-Apprentice system still functioned, albeit a little undervalued after masters started picking more than one student to pass on their crafts, and one-on-one teaching faded a little.

' _I never thought I would get to call someone 'Master'_ Violet reflected, musingly entertained.

Hermione hoped to complete at least one mastery, but Violet was actually content to go with the flow at the time – as in the unreasonably expectations that once Violet defeated Voldemort, she'd be unofficial child of Merlin and Madam Bones and expected to do something _grand_.

' _Never mind that what I want is anonymity'_ She admitted to herself once in a while when the occasional opportunity to brood presented itself. _'But if I move away from Magic, I will also move away from my… family'_ And Violet didn't want to be alone.

' _At least I'm with other wizards… what if I couldn't use magic anymore?'_

Her " _Master"_ is a teacher at heart, all told. It tranquilized Violet to know that the man she chose to trust – _did she really have a choice?_ – was equipped to help her survive this strange new world.

And then there were the weird veritable menagerie of students that came and went, though a few stood out to the witch who was officially introduced as Clow's disciple, the one who'd inherit his knowledge and magic in contrast to the hangers on whom he agreed to foster.

Amazingly, the one who talked the most to the green eyed young woman was also the one who seemed least likely to do so.

Xiao Ling Li. Heiress to the Li family.

Long, straight black hair that was held up her head in a neat bun. Thin strands framed her heart shaped face, complimenting her dark, almond shaped eyes – it was easy to see how the other girl was related to Clow.

"Teacher Clow is related to _my_ family through his mother" Xiao Ling explained smugly, a superior tilt to her nose as she spoke. She'd occasionally try to catch Violet in the halls in intervals when Clow was busy enough not to escort her everywhere, but Violet was used to being ambushed in the corridors.

And if anything, she appreciated Xiao Ling's attitude. It reminded her of Draco Malfoy too much – a blessing, really, because who could feel homesick thinking of _Malfoy?_ While at the same time it worked nostalgically well.

"So you are his niece?" Blessed ignorance, Violet asked innocently enough that it masked the self-satisfied air she must have exulted when the Chinese girl reddened slightly.

"No! We're very distantly related! His mother was my great grandfather's younger sister!" Xiao Ling snapped angrily, understanding Violet's jab at the very obvious crush the Li girl harbored for her teacher. Calling him Uncle would taste like a bitter, bitter pill.

' _Wait, what did she say? Great grandfather's younger sister?'_

Straightening her back and downplaying the widening of her eyes, Violet tried to hide her surprise. "Wait, how old is Master Clow?"

At the question that unwittingly left the young witch's lips, the raven haired girl's readopted a superior posture as she felt regained control in their conversation.

"Don't you know? And you're his _apprentice_!" She gloated. And if she was following the same patterns as Malfoy, then she'd also flaunt her _superiority_ by making a fool out of Violet.

"I don't know everything" The witch returned, annoyed. "That's why I'm his apprentice, he's only _teaching me_ since last week" She couldn't resist rubbing that fact back on the other's face. It was petty and mean, but Violet wouldn't admit to being a paragon of virtue in the first place.

The Chinese young woman growled under her breath "Then you can ask him yourself!" before stalking away without answering Violet's question.

Though it didn't bother Violet for long – for coming from the opposite end of the corridor where Violet was ambushed, came the other three long term students of Clow's. Charlotte Dubois, the ritualist, Eduardo Parole, the elemental mage and little Edgar Manson, the prodigy alchemist.

They seemed to have been paying attention to the intercession between the two girls, for Charlotte came bouncing the rest of the way to where Violet stood and started to babble.

"Don't mind Xiao Ling! She's just jealous because Teacher chose you as apprentice. She's been saying for years that he'd pick her because they're relatives, and you know how stuck up some families are with legacies. The Li clan feels that Teacher's unique magic should belong to them since they are related and all" The blonde barely paused to breathe.

Snorting in irritation, the Spanish looking man shook his head at Charlotte.

"Should you really be telling her all that?" He asked curtly. "I for one never even heard of the name Potter. She's not from a known family so she must be an unrefined first generation magician – as members of the established families, we'd do well to not lower ourselves to her level" And there, a grade S contempt filled sneer directed at Violet's general direction. Eduardo didn't even meet her eyes.

Stunned, Violet could only stare as she was duped so easily. ' _Is this how muggleborns feel? It's kind of horrible!'_ Then her eyes narrowed. She's not a novice.

She's a witch, and no one messes with a Potter without dealing with the consequences. Magic, vivid, animated, angry magic bubbled beneath her skin. It's been years since she had to resort to this unrefined method but she didn't have a focus – so it will do _._

 _SNAP!_

The young alchemist boy, Edgar, was the first to notice and the first to snicker. Charlotte, who was demonstrating an unusual level of indignation in Violet's behalf was second, and she didn't hide the guffaw that merrily left her throat.

"BWAHAHA! Serves you right for being such a _snob!_ "

Eduardo's long, hairy ears swirled confusedly for a second; he looked down himself, searching for what could be so funny, before his eyes caught on his reflection on a window's glass panel.

' _There should be a sound effect for the noise his ego did when it broke just now…'_ Violet giggled shamelessly, before regaining her breath to speak.

"So much for refinement of the established families, eh?" This time, it was Violet who sneered. The donkey ears on the sop were a nice touch – though really hard on the conviction since she lacked a wand with which to curse people with. Last time she used her angry wild magic like this was to Blow up Aunt Marge!

"Miss Potter is Teacher's official apprentice, she must have something that impresses him that we don't" Edgar said, he looked what, _twelve?_ Yet he seemed like the most sensible one.

His reasoning inspired Charlotte, for she grinned happily.

"We should study together sometime!" She gushed before rounding up on the silently fuming form of Eduardo Parole and his twitching donkey ears "You're _not_ invited"

He did _not_ take well on that. But instead of focusing on Charlotte, who was mocking him, he glared dangerously at Violet with a hatred that knocked her breath away.

' _Draco is the only one who ever looked at me with hatred… but not even he had so much of it inside of him…'_ Violet thought stunned. ' _Where is Parole's anger coming from?'_

"You little _bitch"_ The young man _growled_ , advancing on Violet, his magic a swirling, colorful vortex around him in a rather pretty mixture of fire red and yellows. "Let's see how you like being put in your place like the disgraceful _mongrel_ you are!"

Without a wand, there wasn't much the witch could do but watch as power built up around the stalking man in a fiery, red hot halo. ' _Merlin! What is his problem?! Getting this angry over a prank he asked for himself!'_

For a moment, Violet felt _fear_.

She could hear Charlotte's protests, but she wasn't a battle oriented mage – and Edgar was too stunned by the show of violence to react in any proper way even if he was capable of it. _'Just a kid! I can't involve him'_

The air around her heated, growing in intensity until the green eyed witch could feel sweat pouring down her face. ' _Normal fire can't hurt a witch or wizard!'_ she thought furiously ' _But this is magical fire!'_

And as if she wasn't completely sane, a hysterical part of her brain was finding the fact that there was an enraged fire elemental mage stomping a trail of cinders in her direction with a pair of long, donkey ears, extremely funny.

' _That one is mental! He's going to kill me! I have to run, run runrunrun…!'_

 _Wait…_

'… _run? No way! I faced Voldemort without fear, this little shit is_ _ **not going to make me cower**_ _'_

"What-" The voice echoed powerfully down the corridor just as the witch felt her own magic cackle around her in a thunderous burst to counter the fire elemental. She could see the surprise and the slight hesitance in Edurado's eyes as he saw she would fight back – and the _sheer power_ she commanded. ' _Good!'_ But Clow Reed appeared like an avenging angel, suddenly _there_ as if summoned by Violet's fear and anger. His voice was silkily quiet as he approached the hyped mage and the furious witch "-is going on here"

"Teacher!" Charlotte wailed childishly, pointing a trembling finger at Eduardo who could only stand there, pinned by Clow's penetrating eyes. "He insulted Miss Potter, she did something awesome and gave him those ears for it, he didn't like it and was about to burn her to a crisp"

The fire mage in question deflated slightly, but still managed to glare at the blonde woman heatedly.

"I was only going to give her a scare" He almost snarled between clenched fists "I didn't even have my sword out, if she couldn't stand against me, what right does she have to Teacher's craft?"

' _Because he was underestimating me_ …' Violet thought viciously. _'I saw the moment you faltered when realizing I'd fight back'_

But she just blinked, letting her own anger bleed out now that Clow was there – this was a chance to test his character in a setting she's still hadn't seen. She didn't have the most luck with authority figures in her life and it'd be interesting to see how much Clow respected her.

"Apprentice, your account?" The sorcerer asked calmly enough. Violet relaxed even more when he reached her side to stare down the fire mage. Not that she couldn't take care of herself, she was ready to show that pompous arse just _who_ Violet Potter is.

Yet, she was glad someone had her back.

 _-Justin's terrified eyes as he heard her hissing to the snake about to bite his head off-_

' _Think Violet'_ Now, thanks to the power Clow has given her, she had a choice. _'I can use this to really screw with that fire guy's arse, or I can be the bigger person and give a second chance'_

A large, warm hand sneaked out the bulky sorcerer robes to wrap tightly around her own, hidden by folds of fabric from the three other students. Electricity coursed through their skin upon contact - His power leaked in controlled little pulses and snaked into her heart, making the beats practically double. He was getting under her skin and it felt _good_.

But the message he wanted to give was clear. He'd stand by her word.

It made her very soul _ache_ in pleased glee.

Clearing her throat, Violet eyed Eduardo's glaring form with a lot more attention. He might look nonchalant, even angry on the outside, but there were also notes of _fear_. He was _scared_.

Scared of Clow Reed.

' _Ambition demands he learn from the greatest sorcerer alive, but he fears Clow Reed. No more than that, he's terrified of him'_ Just like people _feared_ Dumbledore's powers – they might have been from "Dark" families – but the principle applies. No one _sane_ dared go against Dumbledore when the old wizard was at the peak of his power.

That was then, this is now.

' _There's only one thing to do, then'_

Violet took a deep prepping breath "It was just a misunderstanding. We both lost our tempers and got away with ourselves, I'm sorry Master, it won't happen again"

Taking her cue, Eduardo Parole overcame his surprise and swallowed his pride in one go. ' _Impressive'_ "Yes… I am also sorry Teacher, it won't happen again"

The sorcerer stared down at the elemental mage for a couple more seconds before nodding, understanding pulsing away from his body and brushing against Violet' senses.

"Very well, see that it doesn't. My apprentice and I will be on our ways" With that, Clow pulled Violet by her hand and down the corridor. He guided her for a while, keeping silent and just walking. The steady sound of his breathing and the silent motion of his steps lulled Violet into a semi-stupor, helped by her exhaustion after the recent events.

…

' _I never noticed how long these corridors were before'_ The witch noticed nervously, hoping her hand wasn't a sweating mess.

He finally stopped, opening a pair of double doors to a very well maintained solarium. The ceiling was mostly made of clear glass, allowing the sun inside to reflect prettily against the rich decorations. In the middle of the room was a table already set with pastries and tea, John Evington bowing at his lord and his guest.

"My lord" The older looking, mundane man greeted, offering Violet a polite nod.

"Thank you" The sorcerer said to his butler, who nodded again and left the room.

"You really a lord?" Violet asked interestedly, her host just smirked mysteriously knowing it would irk her. He ignored her halfhearted pout and guided the witch to the table.

' _Ancient and Noble house of Reed…'_ The thought crossed her mind and made her smile. _'I'm having tea with a lord, how did I come to this?'_

"Miss Potter, was that a wise choice?" Clow pulled her chair for her like the gentleman he was. Violet sat down with as much gracefulness as her tired body allowed, but ended slouching a little either way.

The sorcerer smiled with fond exasperation at her attitude, but sobered when she spoke next.

"I'm not sure. But it was partly my fault; I did lose my temper and I didn't want…" _'I didn't want to create trouble for you'_ went largely unsaid. Violet fought she urge to fidget as the older man read her face as if it was an open book.

…

' _Dumbledore has taken a fall for me before. Hell, Snape has taken more than one too! Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna… everyone. I don't want to be a burden'_

…

Satisfied with what he found, Clow nodded in understanding.

"You don't have to feel guilty about Mr. Parole. He was out of his bounds openly challenging you like that without noticing me" the sorcerer told her carefully, serving them both tea that was still steaming hot. "It is unfortunately not uncommon for the new generation magic users to be discriminated against. Most chose to affiliate with a well-known family, but there are those who can become out of control"

Taken aback, Violet blinked as she accepted her filled cup. The aromatic scent of a nostalgic herbal mixture filled her senses. _'What does it remind me of? Amortentia… damn it'_

"What do you mean?" she asked wearily, an unpleasant image forming in her head despite herself. She had enough discrimination in her world, thank you. ' _I don't need it anymore, specially here with Clow!'_

"Greed can be a good motivator, as I'm sure you already know. Magecraft secrets are jealously kept, it could ruin a family if their craft fell into another's hands – on the other hand, it is usual practice for families or well-known mages to foster students. It's a risk we take to appease those who fear our power… most cases of magic theft are from baseless mages who want to quickly make names for themselves" Clow explained patiently "Strangely enough, a lot of masters chose first generation mages as their successors for their fresh and uncompromising view on magic. It ruffles a lot of feathers"

Violet froze as dread pooled in her stomach along the distractingly warm tea. She swallowed dryly. "… So that Parole guy think I'm after your magic"

' _He can't think that, it's not true!_ _What if Clow thinks the same and send me away? I won't know what to do!'_

She didn't want to be abandoned. _Not by_ _ **him**_ _._

Not one to sugarcoat things, the sorcerer tilted his head very slightly forward, catching her panicked eyes with his own.

"Yes, though he's not alone in that line of thinking… In reality all of them are after the same thing" He said, smiling grimly.

Flushing and then paling in quick succession, Violet shook her head "I'm not… after your magic I mean…"

' _Can I even use the type of magic they have here?'_

The tension in the room broke suddenly as Clow let out a sinfully low chuckle.

"Oh I know, my dear girl, I trust you. And even if you were to inherit my magic, it wouldn't do you any favors" He said, humor still coloring his voice "Your magic's element is Light, while your ascendant is Mars. My element is Darkness; while I ascend with the Sun and the Moon – I can help you grow stronger, but not reach your full potential"

…

 _In a plane beyond human's capability to see, the turbulent globe of what composed of her magic was letting out angry, confused sparks. Clow spread out his amusement and the care he felt for her, calming down the storm before it could do harm. It wouldn't do for his special gift to be feeling scared._

…

Calming down, the witch let out an explosive, compressed gust of air.

"Ah..." Was Violet's intelligent response after being thrown for a loop. "I guess that answers if I can learn magic here"

Clow waited until she was solidly in control of her emotions before taking a sip from his own tea – now considerably cooler. Violet took note of those small things, inwardly adding them to her mental Clow Reed folder.

Surprisingly human of him _. 'I'm tired of this emotional roller-coaster… why do I feel so needy for him?'_

He _did_ also add half the tea cup's worth of sugar in his tea.

And she's caught him humming under his breath as he worked in his office, and how he'd always have a smile decorating his face no matter what – though the smiles he directed at her were warm and inviting – he was always searching for opportunities to touch her… a small brush of his fingers against hers to the memorable occasion when he held her hand in that corridor.

…

 _It feels like the first time she ever touched her holy wand. A tugging from her core yearning to get free, and finally finding an outlet…_

 _It was glorious and intense and Violet wondered for a brief moment how she'd be able to exist again without his touches – but then she'd come back to reality and wonder why she was so attracted to him if they barely knew each other – plus, what he'd want with a scrawny, pathetic little thing such as her?_

…

Violet closed her eyes, resting for a moment and letting his voice wash over her like a fresh spring rain.

"It's a lot to take in and you must have a lot of questions. That's why I was seeking you earlier, so we can discuss your knowledge and what you wish to learn from me" The sorcerer explained with a tentative tug at the corners of his lips. It seemed his default expression was a smile.

' _And how many of those smiles are true?'_

Breathing, the green eyed witch stared at her host.

"May I ask something first?" she hesitated "It might be a little personal"

"Don't worry, if it is too personal I will let you know" He assured, fond amusement shining in his eyes… He could actually predict what she wanted to ask and the mischief painting his face was a dead give-away.

It has been bothering her for a while now, since her talk with Xiao Ling _._

Now or never…!

' _Here it goes!'_

"How old are you?"

Airily, Clow said smilingly "I was born in the year of 1559, so that makes me 317 years old as of this year"

' _Oh, so he's three hund- wait, what?'_

"W-what?" Violet coughed, wide eyed "How?"

"You age accordingly to your power levels, it is not uncommon to find powerful enough sorcerers living in their fourth or fifth century. I am actually one of the youngest" His cheeks had to start hurting sometime, so he ought to drop that amused smile.

Violet blushed slightly, but managed to control herself enough to keep talking.

"Alright… in my world there is something similar, though the oldest wizard I knew who lived naturally to an extended age was almost a hundred and thirty" Violet was still gaping inelegantly as she shared this tidbit of information – for someone with double Dumbledore's age Clow sure looked good! Though as she continued with this line of thought, something came to the witch that made her frown "There are other methods to live longer, but I don't think you'd use them"

…

 _A blood red stone that shone under the dim lights in the innermost room behind the teachers' trap – she'd touched it briefly, it's surface chaffed and teased at her skin, a niggling voice in the back of her head pleading, begging,_ _ **screaming '**_ Use me and live forever! _ **'**_

 _Murder. An uncontrollable feeling of rage and hatred, the wish to tear, to destroy, to_ _ **kill**_ _strong enough that the very soul would fracture. Only murder of an innocent could break a soul deep enough that the creation of an abomination was possible._

…

Clow observed her face, nodding to himself before offering a bright, graceful smile "I see those other methods displease you greatly, I'm thankful you hold me above them"

Violet _didn't_ blush too darkly this time…

"Of-of course!"


	10. Part VIII

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 08)

XxxxXxxxX

 _A hand brushed lightly against hers. She could feel the intoxicating warmth radiating from the body beside her and she craved **more**._

…

It didn't take very long for Violet to see just how differently she was treated by Clow.

Her rooms were close to his, and he made sure to accompany her in at least one activity in the day. Unlike his fosterlings, whom he left mostly alone – though there was a **great** deal of magical surveillance going on _–_ Clow was teaching Violet personally.

' _It makes a biiiig difference when not learning in a classroom'_ The witch noticed wonderingly.

In a classroom, the teacher's attention is divided by several students, while this master/apprentice method is one-on-one and her "master" gives her all the attention she asks for.

' _If only that's it… there is something else going on'_ And it was beyond the fact he's taken her as apprentice, beyond the fact she's come from another world.

Sincerely abashed and completely flattered, Violet accepted his very sought after attention and thrived under it anyway.

She _liked_ being the one taken care of, liked not having more responsibilities than a normal student, even if it was studying under a master. Clow never gave her more duties than she could handle, and then they were things that would help her grow.

She felt _normal_.

' _No, not normal. But close enough'_ Violet didn't feel like a child anymore. Much less like a teenager – she's skipped too many stages by now to be considered mentally healthy, so to protect her own emotional development, Violet _clung_ to the few people whom she trusted.

' _Needy, childish and jealous'_ In the darkest of moments, she'd admit to herself.

Only…

The more she showed this side of hers to Clow Reed – and it became inevitable when they spent most of their time _together_ , the more he seemed to _revel_ in her need for him.

A handsome, powerful man who has showed Violet compassion and attention – she's literally doomed.

"Will you teach me more about elements?" Violet broke her train of thoughts, focusing more on the opened book in front of her than thoughts of the man sitting by her side, staring at her from the corner of his eyes and smiling cheerfully.

Ever since he's spoken about her element being Light, Violet has been curious, and so, for the first time since she settled under his tutelage in the magical crafts, she prompted a subject.

Clow Reed beamed beatifically back at her.

"But of course!" He nodded, lifting his strangely shaped staff so he could summon a book right out the bookshelf in his office – where hung out together the most – Violet to study and Clow to work. "What do you already know about elemental magic?" The sorcerer asked the familiar question while leafing through the book he summoned.

' _He's always asking me that before starting on a new subject… I'm sorry to say I don't know much about theory, though until he gives me a wand I'm stuck feeling like a loser… why did I have to listen to Ron instead of Hermione?'_ Lamented the witch as she once more was caught upon regret that she didn't take her studies more seriously…

' _Well…'_

She's a sink or swim kind of learner anyway.

"Not… a lot" Violet mumbled, fiddling with the sleeves of the dress she wore – one of the numerous ordered that first week he took her to Cambridge. "In my world, we give more emphasis to the spells themselves than to affinity. There are discussions about inherited familial magic or talents, but as far as I know, tittles like Dark or Light wizards refer to their moral compass more than magic affinity itself" Her voice sounded carefully.

' _There are dark artifacts, but that's more about enchantments and traps – not necessarily_ _ **dark**_ _, but evil'_ the witch remembered, thinking about how Mr. Weasley spelled a whole car to be able to fly and his creation did technically fall under _dark object_ category due to the danger it represented to the Statute of Secrecy.

"You do know that by this… world's standards I am a Dark wizard" Her teacher commented, already knowing Violet wouldn't care about it. She snorted under her breath; _'even in my own world, Clow would be without comparison'_ so there's no escaping his weird humor – though it seemed as if Clow was serious "Miss Potter… Violet… I have lived for a very long time, there are things in my past that I am not so proud of. I hope you understand that I do not see the world in black and white"

"I know" Violet told him firmly, grimacing a little but meeting his eyes. "I see how the others are completely _terrified_ of you; they must be for a reason so I won't go around judging you when I have _no right"_ At the vaguely surprised look she received, the witch continued " _Look_ , I _understand_. I've been there before and… there are stuff in my past that I wish I didn't have to do, too…"

Inside her mind, flashes after flashes of images, sounds, smells and feelings played in a demented loop.

Unaware that the sorcerer was shamelessly snooping, Violet descended into her memories.

…

 _Tom Riddle's terrified scream still rung in her nightmares._

 _The large rotting corpse of the Basilisk curling hideously around the damaged diary, still bleeding black blood…_

 _Professor Quirrel's wide, bloodshot eyes as his skin bubbled and blistered under her hands. The smell of charred flesh drifting into her nose and making her gag, mixing with the relief that screamed through her being –_

' _I'm going to live!'_

 _-Hands reaching out of a dark lake, burning as wicked fire licked up the cavern walls._

 _Barty Crouch Jr.' sightless eyes staring glassily up Dumbledore's office, none of the madness she's seen in them before, Dementors waltzing in mockery around Minister Fudge._

 _Peter Petigrew's sorrowful eyes as he searched hers, begging for understanding and forgiveness as he was mercilessly cut off by Voldemort, just to give her_ _ **one more second to**_ -

' _I'm going to_ _ **live**_ _!'_

…

She was brought back to reality by the feeling of magic churning around her, thinking quietly to herself as she watched Clow watch her.

' _I'm not ashamed of what I did, though I do regret the line of bodies laid at my feet… how can I live with myself after_ _ **those**_?' What right did she have to _judge_ when she knew her sins could very well be _worst_.

Clow stilled, everything around him came to a stop as well, as if the very _world_ was holding its breath.

' _Did I surprise him? Maybe I shouldn't have_ _ **said**_ _anything about the other's fear… but he was trying to bully me into being afraid of him, that's not happening…'_ If he wanted to harm her, there were better ways than teaching her and being a perfectly welcoming host.

His shiny dark blue eyes gained a shimmery, pearlescent hue as his magic touched the surface of his irises – silver bled into the blue as he stared deeply into Violet's green eyes, obviously searching for something he found, if the brief smile he allowed her to see was of any indication.

"You… you are a very impressive woman Miss Potter" Clow Reed said almost breathlessly. He took a moment or two to recompose himself, looking at Violet with reverent kindness. "However, I am not a good man. They are right to fear me, though rest assured you will _not_ come to any harm while under my guard"

"Mr. Reed, I know" Violet let him know that, too. "I've always trusted my instincts, see? It's what been keeping me alive despite everything… I don't think I've said it before but I trust you… and you can call me Violet" She added shyly, unknowingly making a very timidly cute sight as her cheeks reddened.

"Clow" He whispered hoarsely, making tingles travel down her spine despite the heavy atmosphere between them. Violet was vaguely aware that they just had a _moment._ She smiled hesitantly back at Clow. "Now, where were we?"

' _I don't think my heart can take this much longer'_ Violet thought to herself with a grim sort of fascination. _'I want to go home, yet I'm also starting to like staying here… is it wrong of me to think of myself in this situation…? But is it right for me to turn my back on the Enclaves and my friends, who must be worrying themselves sick by now…'_

"Elemental magic" She answered, sighing despondently.

Violet turned back to the book Clow Reed was opening in front of her – trying futilely to ignore the tingles that rose up her hands when their fingers brushed.

…

 _It thrummed, pulsed, hot and heady. Her body and mind drowning into a haze of pleasure as they moved as one, in the beautiful, ancient dance between man and woman… He was drawing every breath away from her, every cry came out a beg, and every thrust of his elicited a gasp, further driving her breathless._

 _His lips met hers in a feverish kiss, mouths slanting and desperate and moist. His hands, braced on both sides of her head strained when she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, shifting under him until she could also wrap her legs around his torso, bringing him closer and closer until-_

…

Clow had to blink a few times to dispel the daydream he fell in. It was happening with smaller frequency now that their bond is consolidating… not that he was against Violet unknowingly tapping into his powers, it was just two parts entertaining and a part frustrating. Well…

He left his other half resting in the library, adoringly staring at her as she nestled asleep between cushions until he felt he couldn't pull off his plans any longer – and left to contact the traveling witch.

The mirror' surface rippled as the familiar communication magic took hold. Clow stared impassively at his reflexed image, noting with a faint sense of dispassion the glow surrounding his skin.

"Oh Violet, so possessive" the sorcerer uttered under his breath with a brief, but pleased smile… Violet's light shone through their bond lighting up into his darkness, Yin and Yang in complete and utter harmony. _Peace._

' _It is light enough that Yuuko might not notice'_ He honestly hoped she _didn't –_ That roar of possessiveness and jealousy clawing at his insides with every thought of _sharing_ his gift was already making blood pump loudly in his ear.

' _She is mine. What she gives is mine'_

He did _not_ want share Violet with Yuuko.

' _Too bad even the most powerful sorcerer in existence sometimes has to be told_ _ **No'**_ Clow told himself in a mix between amusement and regret – he needed Yuuko's cooperation for this, so it might be necessary to tell the traveling witch about his little gift.

"My, my Clow, twice in a month… Do you miss me that badly?" Yuuko's tone was seductive, her half lidded eyes appeared first in the mirror, followed by ruby red lips and the cascading black hair held up by a ridiculously complicated knot.

"While I do miss you occasionally" In which they'd draw together to create mischief, he still eyed the witch shrewdly though "This is not such a casual call, you were also signaling for me"

Their bond is flimsy at best – once it was a thick cord connecting them both. But it has lost potency over the decades they have not been together. Today, they can use such connection to warn each other in the way powerful magicians casually use impossible magic.

' _So very dull'_ Clow Reed hid his derision at the situation. It was one thing to be warned by Yuuko about something _inevitable_. It was another to _need_ Yuuko for something. She could be insufferable sometimes.

Her red/brown eyes sharpened.

"Well yes, I was. And it is only because I… care for you that I am doing this" Her tone was cautious, vulnerable in a way he's hardly ever heard coming from Yuuko before.

"Shall I go first or would you?" The sorcerer's left eyebrow rose above the frames of his glasses.

' _Giving her the choice is dangerous depending on what she wants to tell me'_ And don't be mistaken, Yuuko _wants_ to tell him something if the troubled cloud behind her eyes that flashed now and then was anything to go by.

"Ladies first? Always a gentleman" The dark haired witch mocked halfheartedly as she pursued her ruby tinted lips. "Alright, I can go first I suppose… Clow, I have said this before, but we were _not_ the only ones who saw the 'event' coming. Almost every other diviner out there caught a glimpse of it, and although it seems to only affect you in a direct base… You cannot see anything about it at all, can you?"

Ice started to spread through his veins as what the witch was implying truly sunk in.

' _I've been too shortsighted about Violet to see the bigger picture!'_ The thought was not pleasant in the slightly, and left a dry, bitter taste in his mouth.

"So the others know the event was coming for me and that I have a guest…" He maintained control so he sounded bored and aloof.

Yuuko's forehead wrinkled down as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Be serious" She warned him tremulously. "Whatever you received that day can't be seen by _anyone_. Clow… the risks are too great"

' _No one can see Violet. They don't know she's the so called 'event' so I still have some time'_ Clow thought furiously, a wave of darkness sweeping around his legs and tumbling upwards until the top of his head. Yuuko predictably backed down at the show of power, raising her chin and glaring at him like only she could.

"I know the risks. I am prepared to face them" He told her, angry swipes of shadowy tendrils enveloping his hands.

' _Let whoever think they can cross me know just how absolutely_ _ **dangerous**_ _I can be when properly provoked'_ The furious thought came unbidden. Yuuko's face fell a little as she offered him a tired smile.

"If you do know, then there is nothing else I can do" She said in a somber tone of voice, acknowledging his authority.

Sighing, Clow shook his head to dispel the creeping shadows waving tendrils all around him, banishing his magic back into his body with a thought.

"There _is_ something I need your help with, however" He said after a moment or two.

Taking the subject change – _or what she thinks is a subject change –_ the witch nodded. "What is it?"

"How do I connect to the other worlds?" The question tasted like _fate_ in his lips for some reason.

…

 _Somewhere beyond time and space, light and darkness met and agreed to open passages through the ether. Two rabbit like creatures with large gemstones on their forehead were born at the hands of two powerful sorcerers. They took the mixed personalities of their creators, and were named by the female one – Mokona Modoki – the portal between worlds._

XxxxxXxxxxX

TBC~


	11. Part IX

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 09)

XxxxXxxxX

Clow Reed was sitting comfortably on a chair in the immense and rich library belonging to Reed manor. He wore the usual robes while in his house – in contrast, Violet chose to wear one of the more comfortable dresses the sorcerer had purchased for her in Cambridge.

…

" _I will pay you back later…" She grounded out between clenched teeth, not used to receiving charity that didn't come with a very heavy price tag attached._

" _Don't worry about it, Miss Potter, I have more than I could spend in a lifetime" He said this with a mysterious glint in his eyes as his lips stretched into a smile._

…

They were found in amicable silence, each with a book on their lap as they passed time reading – though Violet sorely missed flying on a broom – something she usually did on lazy afternoons along with Ron and Ginny, leaving the library as Hermione's territory and only visiting it when she had to - essays didn't write themselves, as Ron found out the hard way at least once per year.

' _Definitely a change… Clow is such a bookworm'_ He'd have gotten on well with Hermione, with his mature and seemingly easy nature and passion for knowledge.

Unaware of what she was doing, Violet started to watch Clow inconspicuously from behind her book's cover _'I wonder what house he'd belong to… Ravenclaw maybe?'_

The copper haired witch tried to hide her stare when Clow suddenly stretched languidly, wiry frame unfurling before her eyes as a low, drawn out groan left his lips.

She then committed the heinous mistake of meeting his eyes. Watching her with a seemingly distracted hunger, an indescribable abyss of emotions she couldn't even begin to understand hidden in the depths of his eyes.

A shiver of attraction rolled down her back despite her best efforts to control her body.

' _And those bloody dreams are. Not. Helping!'_ The witch didn't even try to deny said dreams! They made her wake up _raw_ , _wet_ and above all _mortified_. _'I know I majorly like him, but come on! Not even Remus made me-'_ She paused the mental rant to sigh silently _'Forget it, not going there'_

The object of her feminine frustrations just smiled congenially, adjusting on his chair until he was comfortable once more. He was feigning obliviousness so obviously Violet felt it would be even more embarrassing to call him out for it.

"I have some business in Asia, would you like to accompany me, apprentice?" He asked after allowing Violet some silence.

"Asia?"

Clow's lips twitched up. He easily distributed his smiles, making Violet wonder inwardly, again, how many of them were _real_ "Yes, China to be more specific. There is an interesting festival going on next week, and I find myself interested in some wares"

"I've never been outside of the British Isle before" the witch confessed with a waving hand, then she interestedly cast her eyes upwards to meet his "How will we be going?"

"Since there is not much time left for the beginning of the festival, teleportation circle – we can return by ship though" The sorcerer added for Violet's benefit, clearly noticing her interest

"Teleportation is fine" The green eyed witch grinned faintly, and after a moment of thought, her head tilted to the side "Do you have Apparition here?" escaped her lips in a genuinely curious flurry "It's a way to instantly travel over distances… I never learned how to do it, and it seemed really unstable…"

The sorcerer chuckled.

That deep sensuous sound that reverberated through her _bones._

"I can do something similar if I am by myself, but since we're going together, it is more practical to use a circle. There is a connecting array in my house in Beijing" Clow let her know, smiling secretly.

And they spent the afternoon making plans. Conversation with such a powerful and intelligent man should have been impossible by Violet's experience… usually men like those fell into two different categories: Old and grandfatherly or condescending bastards. Sometimes _both_ … But Clow Reed doesn't treat Violet like a girl.

He talks to her as he was, a man, and she a woman.

…

" _You have grown so much" Remus said, as they talked in a familiar setting in 12 Grimmald place – the members of the order were around, but the Black Library was a nice refuge from the bustle as long as they stayed away from the more dangerous books._

" _Oh…?" Violet asked, anticipating the answer. Her smile soon turned upside down when Remus' eyes found her face and he softened in fond remembrance._

" _I remember when you were but a tiny babe your mother held tightly to her chest. James fawning over you, too afraid to touch you, though when Lily finally convinced him to hold you, there was no one who could make him put you down… well, he had to put you down when it was time to change nappies"_

 _Face rouged in embarrassment, Violet winced slightly._

" _Ooh, you telling Vi's baby stories?" Tonks came bouncing into the room with all vivacity she was known for, and Remus' eyes lit up upon seeing her._

 _Violet gave up then and there._

…

That was painful. And just proof that Violet would be nothing but a child in men's eyes. She had no distinctive curves and was so ridiculously thin her ribs showed... She wishes sometimes to have Hermione's body, or even Ginny's plumpier bumps. Wishes that her Aunt hadn't been such a horrible, jealous harpy.

Though her bony body didn't seem to matter to the sorcerer who took her under his wings.

Insecurities aside...

' _How can I be so at ease with Clow?'_ Violet wondered bemusedly.

Oh, don't get her wrong… she still wants to go home, but her current companion made the absence of Hogwarts infinitely easier – plus she was getting to learn magic! New practices and spells, crafts as they called them, and Clow has been amazing –

' _Oh… maybe I did, indeed, fall into the deep end'_

Because she's also realized she is in love. And that can't be. Not now.

Not ever.

' _A couple of weeks in and I already lost… how will I be able to go back to my… world?'_

 _A bond she couldn't see was vibrating, ecstatic and euphoric. Yet a deep sense of lost was lingering somewhere, darkening the bright light into sad shades of grey._

…

Early the next day found Violet walking around the fountain outside – it wasn't cold enough to warrant heavier clothing yet, but the months have dragged into late spring so a few colder winds were common.

The morning sun was also lazy in its warmth, half covered by mist rising from the sprawling forest around the Reed's land. Being used to frantic movement in the castle so she could reach classes on time made Violet crave a little exercise in the mornings. _'Plus, it_ _ **is**_ _quite a pleasant morning'_

And she felt like having a moment to herself after the devastating epiphany last evening. Who could blame her? Being the focus of the undivided attention of a man such as Clow would shake even the stoutest woman's heart.

' _But I have to put these feelings away. Teddy needs me… everyone's waiting for me to go back'_ Or at least she had to believe it so. _'I have to be ready to these feelings up when I go home'_

' _Come on Violet, think of at least four impossible things before breakfast'_ She shook her head, making a complete circle around the fountain and getting ready to brave the garden's paths.

Only Violet wasn't as alone loitering around the fountain as she thought.

"So you're traveling with Teacher to China?" Charlotte Dubois, the blonde energetic young woman interrupted the witch's brooding time with a high pitched, hyperactive voice.

Violet managed to hide her wince and turned to Charlotte with a grimace/smile. "I suppose so" She said while vaguely wondering _'How did she learn I'd be traveling with Clow?'_

…

" _Is it alright for us to be going by ourselves?" Violet questioned, worrying her lips with a bite as she stared at the sorcerer with doubt written all over her face. If in her time people would raise eyebrows knowing she'd be traveling with a man not related to her, imagine_ _ **now**_ _._

" _You mean no chaperone?" He asked amusedly, chirping lances of the feeling traversing behind his eyes "My dear Violet, as I am known as your master in the crafts, it would be expected that you accompany me, innocuous enough at least… unless you harbor feelings for your teacher"_ _He asked teasingly. Violet's cheeks decided to blush, completely against her will._

" _N-no, of course not!" Her denial sounded hysterical at best and elicited a chuckle from said "teacher"._

…

"I'm so jealous! I wish Teacher would take me as apprentice too! You know there is no stated rule that says a master can't take more than one apprentice at a time…" The blonde ritualist whined to Violet, not knowing of the strange feeling her words evoked in her.

' _Jealousy. I don't want Clow to take another apprentice… even if he only took me in as a way to help me in this time!'_

Violet was spared from having to give a very awkward answer when someone else took it upon themselves to barge in.

"Who are you to dictate what Teacher does or doesn't?" The Chinese girl, Xiao Ling Li snapped from the manor's entranceway – Xiao Ling, the one who couldn't decide what she really wanted from Clow.

The witch's eyebrow twitched, hand grasping for a wand that wasn't there as she prepared to defend herself at the other's sudden presence.

' _Frustrated people with Malfoy's personality, curse, quite literally, their problems away'_ Violet thought with irritation, crossing her arms defensively – comparing the Li woman with Malfoy might be unfair, at least Xiao Ling hasn't called her names yet.

' _And Miss Li isn't alone…'_ For shadowing the Li clan heir steps was the one Violet least wanted to see. _'Why can't Clow give me a wand soon?'_

"Shut up Li! You're jealous too!" Charlotte growled back, hackles rising in antipathy. Violet has noticed how the blonde and the brunette didn't get along, though she did not know to what extended the dislike went.

"Tsc…" Eduardo Parole was sneering at both Violet and Charlotte.

' _And there is the predictable sneer'_ The witch observed contemptuously.

The females were glaring at each other, but if there's one thing they all agreed on, it was Eduardo Parole's addiction to their standoff was completely unwanted.

"And you! Don't start. Teacher is cross with you as is" It was Xiao Ling who turned to berate the Spaniard.

"What is your problem with Apprentice Potter anyway? It's not like Teacher taking her in is taboo" Charlotte asked, raising a finger to point dramatically at Eduardo's direction.

"She's a simpleton and a peasant. Teacher is a high ranked magician and a Lord. I don't understand why he's chosen _that_ " He leered at Violet, making shivers of dander crawl down her spine.

The green eyes witch had enough. She sneered right back. " _That_ is standing right here and _that_ is not above giving you a matching tail to go with the ears"

Li snarled when the tension between Violet and Eduardo reached a crescendo. Magic started to crackle between the witch's fingers and the air above the tanned man was distorting under heat – not taking her eyes off of her opponent, Violet had no way to know what Xiao Ling would do next.

' _She's not attacking_ _ **me**_ _. She wants Clow's approval too much to target me in such a blatant way'_ That was obvious enough to the green eyed witch at least.

"Calm down Mr. Parole! Miss Potter!" Xiao Ling ordered harshly. _Before you make another scene!_ Went unsaid "You don't want Teacher to find you fighting again"

Eduardo froze, his entire being stiffening until the only thing moving were his eyelids as he blinked. It took a second or two for him to regain enough wits to glare blazingly at the trio of females

"Indeed… I won't lower myself to stand in this rabble presence more than necessary" He drawled, piercing Violet with his violent eyes and once more making her wish for a wand.

Next moment saw the fiery young man back inside the manor. _'Why does he hate me so much?'_ She could understand prejudice, but what she saw on the other's eyes was beyond dislike.

"Good riddance!" Li huffed when he was gone. Charlotte and Violet traded bewildered looks. The blonde broke under pressure and laughed breathlessly.

"Violet! May I call you Violet?" She asked, still giggling "Call me Charlotte too. Just ignore Li and Parole, they're a bunch of sour lemons"

"Who are you calling a lemon?!" The Chinese woman's hands found their way to her waist as she stood there, giving the ritualist a nasty look.

The object of Li's look just cackled again. _'Charlotte is also strange. She is after something…'_ She could barely remember the first time they were introduced, but she did record that Charlotte didn't incite any warm feelings. Least of all acceptance...

"Jealous green really looks ugly on you" The blonde retorted childishly. Xiao Ling took offense and immediately went in a tirade.

"I am his _cousin_! I am closer to him than any of you can hope to be! My grandfather has already drafted a nuptial letter, it's only a matter of time before Teacher returns to the Li clan" She almost yelled at Charlotte's face.

' _Well… I didn't know that'_ The witch thought crankily. _'I knew they were related, but an engagement? She must be blowing things out of proportions'_ Violet decided to not put weight in Xiao Ling's words, they were born of frustration and anger, and if experience taught her something, is that you can't believe gossip about someone.

' _I'm just going to ask Clow and be done with it'_ But could she just ask Clow?

"Well, do you want Teacher or his _magic_? _"_ Charlotte provoked, breaking Violet out of her musings"Because I really can't see him interested in a shrew like you"

"Swallow your words Dubois!" Xiao Ling snapped "And you, Potter! You may think you have Teacher right now, but you don't understand him at all! He will grow tired of playing around with you sooner or later, and then you will regret ever coming here!"

At this, Violet drew a line "Sod off! You don't know _anything_!"

' _He can't do that! He's helping me go back home! If anything, the one who will leave him behind is_ _ **me**_ _'_ Guilt swirled in her stomach. If anyone was using someone, that was Violet using Clow.

"Someone like Li lets her temper get away sometimes…" The blonde tried to sooth Violet, but kept an eye on Li's fuming form. The brunette sighed angrily, sending one last indecipherable look in Violet's direction before walking off in the direction of the cherry trees.

"Yeah, clearly. I've met worse, though" Violet mumbled under her breath.

"I bet! Hey Violet, want to come with me to the gardens? I was planning on doing a minor fertility ritual but the warded room is already in use, so I thought Teacher wouldn't mind if I made a couple of flowers bloom" The mood change was so sudden that Violet had to take a moment to brace herself.

The witch thought for a couple of seconds, she had nothing better to do, and was only exercising her legs a bit…"Sure"

…

XxxXxxX

TBC~


	12. Part X

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

Extra note: Wow! Thank you guys so much! I'm ridiculously glad there are people out there who agree with my brand of crazy :) - so happy I'm writing one of these notes, which every one just skims over to get to the goodness bellow right away.

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 10)

XxxxXxxxX

Using the under side of her simple looking staff, Charlotte started to trace runes on the garden's rich soil. Making shallow but visible groves in a circular array – Clow has been teaching Violet about magical arrays, but the runes involved were a bit more complicated than what she was ready.

It involved a lot more mathematics than she knew, being ripped away from muggle school at eleven and never attending arithmancy classes.

' _Magical circles are composed of runes arrays on a circular setting… circular so that the energy expended in the spell can be minimized, as it will complete the circuit and return to the beginning'_ She recorded Clow's lessons in basic runic spells. _'Rituals aren't made on circles though. Even back home Rituals involve some sort of action, chanting or sacrifice… what she's doing is a spell'_

"And the tough part is done!" Charlotte cried out victoriously as she finished a rough outline of a seriously complex looking rune array on the ground "Thaumaturgy is pretty serious business. My family specializes in fertility and luck rituals, though I'm terrible at it. My father thought it would be a nice advantage to us if I was fostered under Teacher for a while, so even someone as dim as I am can learn something…" she admitted sheepishly.

"I… don't think you should sell yourself short like that" Violet tried to sooth, a little uncomfortable. She's not comforting material and _was_ suspicious of Charlotte to begin with "I have a friend, Neville… he was terrible at everything he tried too. At least until he grew up and found his confidence, now he is one of the most powerful wizards I know"

"What's his craft?" Charlotte asked interestedly.

Hardworking Neville. Surrounded by the derision of his housemates and bullied by his own Uncle. The partial indifference from his grandmother and the belief that he was going to be a Squib... Living under the shadow of his father mustn't have been easy, as much as living under the shadow of the Girl-Who-Lived wasn't.

"Herbology" Violet answered, a nostalgic smile lighting up her face.

"Huh…So someone like that really exists" The blonde mused with amusement, mood doing a fast turn. "Thanks Violet. Just let me finish drawing the circle… This is one of the simplest for this type of ritual spell, and I'm not good enough to do it instantly yet" she commented, alluding to the more powerful magicians ability to conjure a circle out of thin air "Done! Now watch those roses!"

Charlotte then picked out a couple of rose buds from a nearby bush, tossing them into the circle. The moment the blond started to chant, using her own staff to trace invisible lines in the air, the pitifully torn flowers started to bloom as if they've never been collected in the first place.

"Woah! Amazing!" But nothing that can't be done with a little will power – Violet's magic used to manifest in Aunt Petunia's gardens sometimes, making little buds bloom or reviving dying plants… there were multiple wand spells professor Sprout taught that would do the same to muggle flora. _'though semi-sentient magical plants can't be grown using magic… it interferes with their own properties, making them unusable to potions'_

But then Violet reflected inwardly ' _Is what I said what Charlotte wanted to hear?'_

Said blond woman demurred with a pleased grin. "Nah. My mother can make even the driest fields lively again. I can only do patches at a time and can't revive dead plants at all" The blonde said, smiling humorlessly. Then her blue eyes suddenly started to sparkle "Hey, want to try? I already drew the circle, so all you need to do is channel magic"

This startled Violet. She did want to try, but her stomach knotted at the idea and she strangely felt repulsed by the mere thought "I'm not sure I should. I also don't have my own wand yet"

' _Where is this coming from?'_

"Oh. Fine. Maybe next time" Charlotte pouted "I know! Grab one of those roses for Teacher, I'm sure he'll appreciate them" she suggested lightly, bending to pick a flower of her own and in the process, smudging the circle she drew until it was unrecognizable. Noticing Violet's questioning look, the blond explained "This is part of my family's craft, if I let it out here someone might copy it!"

Made sense. _'Am I thinking too much about the situation? Being too paranoid?'_

"Just one" Violet agreed, eyeing the magically grown rose and trying to feel for its magic. She didn't know the runes Charlotte used to do her spell, so she didn't know if growing flowers was all they did – it seemed ridiculously complicated for such a simple act.

' _I didn't memorize the circle she used, but maybe there's something in the flowers'_

Or she might just be unnecessarily suspicious. _'Constant Vigilance!'_ Violet thought, and laughed silently to herself.

…

Flower in hand, Violet knocked on her 'master's study door. Her belly was doing nervous somersaults… the witch wasn't sure about Charlotte's roses, but if there was anything wrong with it, Clow would be able to tell.

' _I can't feel anything wrong with them'_ Violet wasn't the best at detecting magic though.

After knocking politely, the young woman and her companion waited only a few seconds before they heard a confirmation from inside.

Clow' study was always a sight to behold; no matter how many times Violet has seen it. She usually spent time sitting on the guest's chair leaning over the table as Clow explained a text or formula – Or they'd idle away their free time with conversations, varying from Violet's experiences with magic to some of the sorcerer's weird encounters that never failed to amuse Violet.

She knew the space almost intimately to the point where if one was to ask, the witch would know where Clow kept his favorite pen, in which drawer were the important documents or even the location of the safe hidden behind the bookshelf.

' _The Adventurer's Technical Guide: Africa'_ Violet couldn't help but quickly steal a glance at the horridly thick book that sat innocuously in the middle of said bookshelf, right beside the _Adventurer's Technical Guide: India_ version.

The witch saw Clow questing throughout that certain safe once, and the askance bookshelf was a little daunting – _"I don't mind you knowing my secrets, though one at a time"_ – The sorcerer said cheekily, eyes bright and mirthful. Violet got the feeling he meant _something else_ when he spoke of secrets, but she couldn't deny the fluffy, cuddly warmth that was permeating through her chest.

When questioned about the boringly dull looking guides' presence, Clow's answer was both obvious and inciting. He traveled a lot during his years, getting to know new places, study magical practices and broadening his horizons. He'd tell tales of his travels sometimes, igniting in Violet a curiosity she's never felt before.

' _Maybe when I go back home, I can travel the world too!'_ It'd be nice, she decided, to backpack around the world getting to know different cultures and meeting new people. _'I'd start with India… Padma spoke so much about her homeland that I can't help but be interested!'_

And then maybe she wouldn't feel so shoddy about leaving Clow – in this future that hasn't even come to pass in which she goes home. And it _is_ a certainty that she's going home… no matter her feelings for Clow, she'd move on from them sooner or later.

Or at least that's what the green eyed young woman chose to believe.

' _That's what Violet Potter does, she survives'_

Violet's thoughts were broken by Charlotte, who darted into the sorcerer's study, eyes wide cataloguing everything she could see. Seeing how the blonde was distracted and how Clow was now paying attention to them, the witch offered a courteous nod to him along with a standard greeting.

"Master Clow" The green eyed young woman said, drawing a dark sense of amusement from the title she bestowed the sorcerer.

He _is_ her master, but in the student/teacher sense, though whenever Violet was required to act subservient and humble before Clow, she was reminded of Voldemort's Death Eaters who worshiped the Dark Lord without knowing what a true bond was like.

' _Differently from the bond between teacher and students, Voldemort used the Lord/vassals one – less personal and more brutal, though it started with a true master/student at first, when Death Eaters were still the Knights of Walpurgis and Tom Riddle liked to teach them, even if what he taught was demented and twisted beyond repair'_ And Tom's knights loved him, there was no doubt about it – which made the perversion of their bond even crueler.

"Teacher" Charlotte snapped out of her awed haze when hearing Violet's voice and hurriedly sunk into a bow to Clow, who chuckled at their disheveled appearances.

"Hello there" He greeted back, offering his students a smile, though the one he gave Violet was infinitely more tender – Violet could read the softness in his eyes as he regarded her, it made her chest flutter incomprehensibly. "What have you been up to apprentice of mine?" Clow directed the question toward Violet, who smiled warmly back at him despite how uncomfortable she felt.

"Charlotte was showing me some of her magic" She answered dutifully, eyes wide with questions as she met the sorcerer's shimmery blue ones. Then Violet remembered the flower clutched in her hand, and her expression changed slightly, a small tilt to her eyebrows would alert Clow of her suspicions "Here, this is for you" The witch offered quietly with a strained grin and a blush.

Charlotte grinned too, lips pulling back to stretch rosy cheeks, that coupled with her angelic appearance, transmitted nothing but eager innocence.

' _She acts like an eager puppy, but I just can't trust her'_ Violet thought sadly _'Sometimes I think Xiao Ling is truer than Charlotte… she's hiding something'_

"Usually this happens the other way around" Clow said with amusement written all over his face – his comment had Charlotte stilling for a second as her baby blue eyes turned calculative "But thank you, and thank you Miss Dubois for entertaining my apprentice – the warded room is free now" He added absently, pinning Charlotte with an unreadable expression that seemed to cow her a little.

"Y-you're welcome Teacher" The young blonde stammered, before regaining her balance and biding to make a hasty retreat. Violet had to bite her lip to hide the smirk that wanted to desperately form on her face – Clow was a terrible influence with his brand of sadistic humor. "I better go before someone else grabs the room!"

Charlotte cried out, waving at Violet after she bowed to Clow one last time. She didn't _scamper_ out the room, but her heels did clack rather loudly as she almost ran down the hall.

Violet blinked, swallowing her sudden mirth and making her way to the chair opposite of Clow's.

"That… was strange" The witch commented, eyeing the study's opened door. Narrowing her eyes in concentration, Violet only had to focus for a second before her magic responded, closing the gaping door and sealing the room.

' _Ah, the wonders of wandless magic… crude but effective, I'm getting better at it!'_

Clow sent her an appreciative look, looking impressed and proud.

"Your magic is taking less time to react, you have been practicing, well done Violet" He voiced out loud. Violet preened unashamedly, glowing under the praise. Though it didn't last long as the sorcerer's countenance suddenly turned serious. "I should warn you not to trust people so easily my dear. My students might seem harmless, and my mantle might keep you safe, but do not be mistaken that they want your wellbeing"

' _No need to tell me that'_ The witch thought huffily, a little cross that he'd think to scold her right after praising her. _'I'm not a child'_ And well, she absolutely isn't _pouting_ – Nothing he said is news to Violet Potter.

"It's alright…" The words dragged out her lips slowly as she nodded.

' _It is alright because I know he's only trying to look out for me'_ the witch understood that her position is quite precarious – though not unstable unless Clow Reed had a sudden and unexplainable change of heart – which is _not_ going to happen.

' _Though with Charlotte I'm not exactly sure what her game is'_

Fresh green eyes slid from Clow's face to the rose he cradled carefully in his hands. He handled the flora so delicately that a small jab of _jealousy_ gnawed at Violet's heart for a moment, before she caught herself being jealous of a _flower_ of all things.

"That… Charlotte grew it with magic" The witch hinted hopefully, both so he'd pay attention to the rose, and so he'd tell her more about magic generally.

"Yes" The sorcerer smiled understandingly, holding up the rose with a hand.

Under Violet's gaze, the flower shrunk with a controlled burst of power and dark sparks until it was nothing more than a tiny bud, which he offered back to Violet. She reached to take the little bud, but instead of simply handing the button, the sorcerer's hands snatched Violet's, cradling her hands between his and encouraging their magic to mingle in the middle.

Warmth spread through her arms, thick, gentle and soothing – as if she was dipping her limbs in a pool of melted chocolate during a snow night. It felt as if starlight itself was dancing through her fingertips, snapping and bursting and rejoicing.

It lasted but a second, but it was enough to bring tears to Violet's eyes… when Clow opened their hands again, instead of the bud Violet and Charlotte collected in the garden, or the flower Charlotte grew magically – was a beautifully sparkling white little flower, with crystal like petals and a lovely aroma. Swirls of pink and red crested at the tips of each petal, and a delicate mote of light shone from the core.

"Everyone can stimulate the growth of things that are already there… but you, my dear, have the power to make them truly _yours_ " The sorcerer whispered gently, a smile that reached his eyes illuminated his usually placid expression "If you'd allow, I rather have this one gift from you than the one from Miss Dubois that you handed in her stead"

"O-oh… I want that too" Violet answered distractively, still awed and humbled by what Clow managed to draw out of her to dwell on the words he said for long. _'The magic he coaxed into the button was mine… yet it created such a beautiful thing!'_

The master sorcerer kept smiling, that soft smile that he only seemed to have for Violet – the softly glowing rose produced from Violet's magic was encased adoringly by his hands, before he let go of it so the little rose could float autonomously over his desk, like an overrated night light.

Both took a moment to admire their handiwork, before the sorcerer shifted slightly, turning to Violet and catching her attention – which she gave freely.

"Since bygone times magic users have been using magic to stimulate crop growth. It started as ritualistic pledges to the gods that evoked earth elemental magic, until humans found a better way to direct and control this power…" Clow trailed off, continuing with his impromptu lesson that was eagerly absorbed by the witch.

He continued the lecture for an hour, keeping a regardful gaze on Violet the entire time. By the time he stopped speaking, the witch was content to watch him through half lidded eyes, a thoughtful frown inadvertently marrying her face.

Instead of asking questions, since Violet was quite apt at raising her hand jokingly every time she had a doubt – a remnant of her schooling in Hogwarts - or she'd write down the question and they'd discuss various theoretical points he'd just spoke about or she read from somewhere, Violet just look pensive.

Clow lifted an inquiring eyebrow, catching the witch in the middle of a distracted blink.

"Is there something bothering you?" He asked humorously, a smile gracing his lips.

Violet shook her head.

"No. I'm just wondering when we will leave and if anyone else was coming with" She answered with a sigh. Clow just stared at the witch, catching her eyes with his as he told her honestly.

"Just us. Now come along my dear apprentice, let us adjourn to the library so we can go more in depth over what you know about spell craft"

Said apprentice could only groan… more lectures.

XxxxXxxxX

TBX~


	13. Part XI

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 11)

XxxxXxxxX

Later that evening, as was custom, Clow invited Violet so they could dine together – no matter how busy he was during the day, he'd make an effort to have his little treasure for dinner.

…

" _Would you accompany me today for something unusual?" He asked with a low voice, pleased by the small bumps that rose on her arms._

" _It depends… how unusual?" His witch's flirting almost undid him, but Clow smiled reassuringly. "Oh fine! But it better not be something weird!"_

…

This time, he'd ask for John – his major domo – to adjourn the meal to the larger dining room. The walls were decorated with paintings his father spent years collecting, and the large crystal chandelier hovering over the main table casted lovely hues of light around it.

It was definitely more formal than what Violet was used to have with him, but he felt the need to impose upon her this modal setting, if anything, it was a new experience that he hoped would please them both.

' _Plus, it is an excuse to see my dear gift wrapped gorgeously in clothes meant for her station'_ As in, rich fabrics and beautiful designs meant for the formality of court. _'Though she could be wearing a rag and I'd still find her beautiful'_ Because the light he could see and feel shining from the witch's breast toppled everything else he's known in this life so far.

And it was a very valid and pleasurable way to put his overwhelmed mind off of his recent talk with Yuuko – and the realization that with Violet, he gained a very blatant and sore weakness.

" _Whatever you received that day can't be seen by anyone. Clow… the risks are too great"_ His old friend warned, and Clow was taking the threat seriously. _'I cannot worry Violet with this old sorcerer's paranoia… she doesn't know the extent of my powers and the consequences of harboring someone exempt from it'_

So Clow wanted to provide his precious guest with a nice night.

Violet didn't like formality, he could understand the circumstances she came from - a hundred years in the future sounded awfully distant, like another world altogether - but he was certain even one as headstrong as she would feel lovely and beautiful in a nice lady's dress.

So when Katya – the maid assigned to Violet - came back to the dining room he'd have secluded for just the two of them, with Violet shyly following after her, it took a fair share of self-control for Clow not to _pounce_.

Gorgeous didn't even begin to describe how his gift looked at that moment.

Her hair pinned up by a simple comb, with ringlets framing her face adoringly. Eyes bright and slightly shy, with her cheeks painted a delightful rose color and moist lips only a shade darker. The dress she chose was obviously different from the day-to-day wardrobe Violet preferred, being a deep, opaque, ocean blue with little golden accents, a heart shaped neckline and princess cut, with flowing, romantic skirts.

' _If she constantly presented herself like the queen she is, I suppose I wouldn't be able to focus on anything else'_ Not that he already wanted to. Having the other half of his soul on reaching distance was overpoweringly distracting.

Under his heavy stare, the young woman broke into a nervous fidget "Isn't this a bit much?" Violet complained halfheartedly, blushing furiously when Clow made it a point to rise from his seat and pull the chair for her.

"It is good to dress up in occasions" He told her honestly, hazy eyes drinking in her simple beauty, the scent of her hair invading his senses and testing his control.

"And what is the occasion?" Violet asked back with a suspicious tilt to her head. It was obvious by her posture that she felt uncomfortable in a setting such as he had planned, but there was this giddy happiness flashing in her eyes that bellied her true feelings.

' _Born to be a queen'_ Clow thought adoringly to himself, seating himself in the place opposite to hers – intimate and romantic. His attempt at wooing Violet had to be painfully clear by now, and if she wasn't resisting more profoundly, than she had to be open to him.

' _Wishful thinking deserves consideration'_ Since he technically _is able_ to conjure things instantly – even living things, though those actually come from alternative universes – with a mere thought when the Stars aligned just right.

"Our little trip" Clow answered automatically, finding the excuse quickly and sending her a cheeky smile. _'She knows it's a flimsy reason for throwing this grand supper when we usually dine in my study'_ Yet, she didn't protest even knowing he was… skewing the truth a little bit.

So while they ate the delicious food prepared caringly by his cooks for this special occasion, Violet finally wrestled her blush down enough to start a conversation.

"What is the real reason you want to go to that festival?" Violet questioned daringly. _'Well… am I that predictable?'_ Clow thought with amusement, half happy that his other half was learning enough about him to _know_ when he was plotting, and half dreading the length of her understanding of him.

Because _'What happens when she finally learns what kind of monster I am? She can deny all she wants, but her sins come nothing close to mine'_. For all that he heard from her own lips that she _trusts_ him, he didn't really trust himself.

But that is just years of breaking the norm speaking. Clow thought himself a very controlled sort of man.

"Heh, you caught me, my dear" The sorcerer chuckled, shoulders shaking from his mirth – strained as it was. The witch blushed once more, the red becoming on her cheeks, spreading down slowly and consuming the upper curves of her breasts visible from the daring neckline, which showed a little of her cleavage.

"Not… not yours, not your dear" His other half stammered awkwardly.

The setting, a clearly attempt at a romantic dinner for two, and the fact that both of them were wearing their best clothes waiting just for the music to start so he could sweep her off her feet and into a dance.

' _My beautiful gift is reciprocating my attentions and looking at me as a woman looks upon a man'_ Oh, how precious… love swelled in his heart, magic curled around him like wisps of starless skies and reached out for her, anxious to crawl to her and be cradled by her hands.

"As you wish, Violet" Clow accented, only half willingly. _'I can wait until she stops protesting being mine'_ It was only a matter of time… he was also looking quite forward for her acknowledging that yes, he did belong to her. "And we're going to China for two reasons" He confessed.

"Only two?" His companion queried musingly, staring at him with a knowing glint in her eyes.

He'd have found the look more endearing on her, if it wasn't for the nervousness rising up his chest. _'I did say I would not lie to Violet'_ Clow remembered, it was one of the things that facilitated her trust in him. _'And she is not a child'_

"Two" The sorcerer nodded slowly, collecting his thoughts and looking for the right words. "First, there are a couple of objects that I am procuring, they can be found in the fair. Second is, I suddenly have the urge to visit an old student of mine"

Violet looked briefly surprised.

It must be surprising indeed since he's never shown interest in his students before. His blood cooled as he thought about his reasons… Should he share? He promised not to _lie_ to Violet, but this was a harsh reality he didn't want her exposed to.

' _She has the right to know, and you're dragging her_ _ **there**_ _anyway you foolish old sorcerer'_

"A student? Why?" As he expected, his gift's voice was tinted with suspicion.

Clow smiled, he'd try to diffuse her curiosity by teasing her a little "My, aren't we filled with questions today" his voice sounded empty even to his own ears. It worked though, his witch sputtered indignantly into her wine cup, hastily drawing a napkin to wipe at her mouth with.

"Clow!" Violet snapped, huffing after she finished composing herself "Just answer!"

' _Such a demanding witch'_ The sorcerer thought lovingly like an infatuated fool. He could feel his end of their bond thrumming and humming, bolstered by the strength of his conviction.

His witch was now looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Clow kept smiling, concealing what turbulence lied inside.

Now, how to put the correct answer into words… if only he could actually _see_ Violet, he'd know perfectly what to say… _Delicate_ could describe accurately what the situation was.

' _But I had to have Violet along. I can't leave her behind, not when she's still so naïve to how this world works and the dogs grow even more anxious to have the bone'_

Miss Dubois attempt earlier was proof enough.

"Her name is Su Yung. A few years ago we met in that same fair. She is a very talented hydromancer, a purely water elemental mage. Through her mastery over water, she gained a level of clairvoyance powers." Clow started to explain, measuring his words carefully. "Su Yung was a good magician. Kind, powerful and controlled. I taught her how to better use her gifts and we became lovers for a while and parted ways so she could grow on her own… recently however, I feel like we should meet again"

He could feel the moment their bond _trembled_ , as if being bathed by a freezing cold rain. It almost hurt physically, and unexplainable the raw anguish radiating from Violet was almost palpable.

' _She's jealous…?'_ A man of his age and rich past could easily recognize the emotional ribbon tightening around Violet's heart and lungs. It was troubling, and Clow grieved privately for a moment before he allowed himself to meet her eyes again. _'It means that in some level, she doesn't trust me with her emotional well being'_

"O-oh…" Violet stuttered, fighting down to control herself and undoubtedly thinking nonsense things. "So she's your girlfriend?"

' _Is she jealous because of insecurity?'_ Clow realized suddenly, as if that fact have slapped him in the face.

So far, the hope that Violet might reciprocate his feelings was only that, a hope _'but it might not be as farfetched as I thought… there is a chance she will chose to stay'_

If she was feeling even remotely _hurt_ about his past lover, it means the green eyed witch harbored a level of romantic interest in him.

"You mean _lover_?" He corrected, because only Violet knew what a _girlfriend_ is... must be an expression from her time or world. "I don't think the tittle applies anymore since it's been quite a while we last spoke" He said back with a little amusement, gaining him a glare from his ruffled witch. _'I need to assure her somehow'_ Clow thought himself _wise_ , but playing with Violet's feelings was the epitome of foolishness in his eyes. "I do not care for her anymore, Violet. You're still my first and only apprentice, and I would not have brought her up if I knew it would matter so much"

His eyes softened as he gazed at her. Her tense shoulders relaxed a little, though the green of her eyes were still darkened in thought. He wanted to tell her how dear she was to him, how deeply he wanted her, how absolutely precious she was. _'It is not the time yet'_ He knew, if Clow opened himself fully to this young woman right now, she'd run away.

"Fake apprentice" She said after a long silence, lips moving into a wobbly grin.

"Whom I am still teaching" He answered back with a smile of his own, though her reactions to Su Yung still weighed in his mind. He'd have to be more careful about Violet's feelings from now own. "Above all else, I still like to think you and I are friends"

"Y-yeah. I think that too" Relief made her glow.

The bond relaxed minutely. It still rumbled tremulously, but more like an angry, teased cat than a storm.

' _My dear Violet, what has caused you to lose so much confidence in yourself?'_ She's powerful, brilliant, intuitive and a whole other slew of things that he couldn't even _begin_ to describe. _'You mean more to me than you know'_ He told her silently, though his lips moved to form another sentence.

They were done with dinner. There was only one thing left to do.

"My lady, would you care for a dance?"

XxxxxXxxxxX

"He… cares for her" A lone woman sat under a cherry tree, the wind rustling through her half unbound hair. She hoped no one would find her here, though it was improbable that anyone else would brave this deeply into Clow Reed's garden without the right amount of caution and/or magical mastery… The very land was loyal to _him_ , absorbing his will and intent and translating it to the varied fauna and flora that proliferated in the property. "That's why Clow chose her as apprentice despite them having opposite magics"

Xiao Ling Li curled her hands tightly into fists, letting the illusion of flawlessness to fail and reveal the myriad of calluses adorning her knuckles. She's trained in martial arts for years, studied under the best tutor her family could find, begged her father to let her foster under cousin Clow and now…

"What did baba say again?" The raven haired Asian beauty tried to remember the word of the old family seer. An unrelated, promising magician that had an uncanny talent for precognition – married into the clan by one of Xiao Ling's great uncles, the old woman was the one who taught Xiao Ling a little bit about divination, and her parting words still rung in the young woman's ears.

…

" _You will have the most powerful sorcerer of all times… he will have you as well, and you shall swell three times with his children every spring. Your union will not be long, and his magic will not pass on to the Li clan"_

" _That doesn't sound right" Xiao Ling's face was blank, though her heart thudded loudly in her chest. She grew up with stories about Clow Reed – his deeds and misdeeds and the vast might of his powers._

 _Her mother sang enchantments in Xiao Ling's ears, promising the powerful man would be hers. And now grandmother promised the same._

 _And yet… Xiao Ling feared. She remembers her mother' songs just as well as she remembers Clow Reed's wrath… It happened a decade and a half ago, when grandfather tried to press Clow into marrying back into the clan._

 _The sight of the sorcerer enshrouded by living darkness, slithering from under his robes and burning scathing trails on the flooring. Every shadow pulsed ominously, every breath she took was painful – the pressure extorted in the room she was peeking in took its' toll, and not even the promising of having that powerful, frightening man as hers soothed Xiao Ling's fears._

" _It isn't" Grandmother said back. "Us with the gift have seen the future. Clow Reed's legacy is destined to come back to the Li clan, but everything depends on you"_

" _How?"_

" _Your children will grow and spread true, and your descendants will meet Clow Reed's measure of worthiness. There is a daughter in his heart, and it is to that child he leaves everything he creates"_

" _I marry him, but don't bring him into the Li clan?" And from the sounds of it, she doesn't even have him for long._

" _In due time, what once belonged to us shall belong again. Clow Reed is stubborn and powerful enough to deny his roots, but no tree survives without roots for long" Were the foreboding words Xiao Ling heard that sealed her fate._

…

And so she came to the Reed estate, nervous and anxious and scared. The last thing she wanted was to fall in love with her nightmares.

His long fingers trailing over the strands of her hair, a mysterious smile curving his thin lips, the aura of power he effortlessly emitted, the sheer press of his presence… Xiao Ling remembers the monster from her childhood. The one that intimidated even grandfather... But she also grew up into a woman, and that woman can find no flaws in a powerful, arbitrary man.

"And yet… grandmother's prophecy was wrong" Because if it was truth, than they should have already married. Her grandfather made sure to send a nuptial contract to Clow. He should have signed and taken her as wife. ' _What happened that changed Clow's mind?'_

The answer was frighteningly clear.

Violet Potter.

"No… grandmother's words can't be wrong" Xiao Ling unfurled from her hunched position and laid back against the bark of the cherry tree. Magic swirled around her, a golden brown hue bellying her earthen affinity. "I just got derailed and am not trying hard enough" the young battle mage told herself firmly. "Clow Reed is _mine_ , and I won't let that witch sink her claws any further into him"

XxxxxXxxxxX

TBC~

Final notes: Sometimes useless, but this one carries extra, important information!  
1) Su Yung is cannon... she's knonw as the Madoushi, and Sakura has to fight her (one of the movies). It was implied heavily that she was Clow's lover, but aside from her obcession with him, nothing was proved. Originally, I think Clow confronts her along with Cero and Yui, since Cero is the one who tells Sakura who Su Yung is. Clow eventually seals Su Yung in another dimension locked in a book because she was corrupted or something.. it was also sort of implied that he'd come back to unseal her later, but he kind of died before doing that...

2) In this AU, Clow has yet to create the cards and guardians, since he's been distracted with dreams of Violet, and later with Violet herself - in my timeline, he'd have created his cards the same year he met Violet (1856), later, he'd seal his creations and sort of _fade,_ cause I couldn't find anything about Clow's death... I hope this answers questions Preemptively!

3) I feel like I'm being buttered up by a well meaning reviewer, lol! I'd like to say that I'm not offended by the lack of reviews in this story! I wasn't expecting it to be popular so I'm happy with whatever input I receive - I do HOPE that this inspires more ships with poor Clow! he needs more loving! hhaha!


	14. Part XII

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 12)

XxxxXxxxX

The next day dawned unusually bright.

The sky was illuminated by all shades of morning, no cloud in sight. Birds sang from the cherry trees and Clow was standing there, looking absolutely glorious, while Violet was squinting through the horrid brightness.

She's had a terrible night.

Not that Katya cared about the quality of her sleep, not when Clow said he'd be waiting for her at dawn by the foyer so they could go on their way across Europe and into Asia.

' _Wonder why I'm not feeling well'_ The witch thought with a sparklingly bad mood. Oh yes. Let us feel excited for the trip that will bring Clow closer to his ex-lover and- _'Don't go there again Violet! Clow isn't… mine…'_

Her mind was doing a sodding job at convincing her heart though.

 _'Dancing with him was the worst idea, ever'_

The feelings of his deft, long fingers gripping lightly at her waist. The way he'd draw her close enough that the heat from his body would cling to hers – how his eyes never strayed from her face, and how tall and sturdy he felt against her. They'd sway, softly and sweetly like a spring wind, and Violet wanted nothing more than to melt into Clow's arms and never let go.

When she retired for the night, it took a lot of will power not to writhe and turn and coil into herself, as phantom sensations played across her skin, re-heating the path of his hands only moments before – turning a chaste, short dance into something a lot more sinful than it was supposed to be.

Only the memories of that night's conversation was keeping Violet half sane… _'What was the name again? Suyung something…'_

' _Gah! How infuriating!'_ Forget about Clow's past love life and concentrate on the future!

' _And what about those dreams?'_ They rendered many frustrating times throughout night and day, in which the only thing preventing Violet from taking matters into her own hands was the profound feeling of shame and awkwardness – She's never tried pleasuring herself before, this isn't her home and she had the faint suspicion that Clow could read her mind.

And she couldn't let this weird, foreign feeling drown her anyway.

' _Thinking about those dreams only bring them closer to mind!'_ Ignoring the way her breath shorted and her heart skipped a beat was now second nature.

Violet wanted to go home, she couldn't thicken her attachment to the sorcerer by tacking a big, sore, romance between them. It would only hurt more when she inevitably left.

It doesn't stop the insidious poison that is jealousy from clawing its way into her being. Twisting in the back of her head even now as she stared at Clow, hiding behind the small grin she greeted him with.

"Morning" Violet voiced coolly.

"I'm sorry for rousing you so early in the morning" Clow Reed's lips pulled into one of his customary smiles. "Unfortunately, any food now will be detrimental to transportation… we can have some light snacks later"

"If it is anything like portkeys, I completly understand" The witch nodded, she wasn't even hungry. Her stomach rolled into a dispassionate mess every time she thought of Clow going to meet with his- _'Stop it!'_

Amusement settled in his features for a moment or two. Enough for Violet to notice and send him a dirty look – his next words cemented the fact he was teasing her.

"Do you have any more questions?" He asked innocently enough. Violet grimaced, remembering her reactions yesterday.

"Just one. What will we be doing at this festival…?"She asked staring pointedly at the large amount of baggage piled behind Clow's tall form. He patted a particularly wobbly stack of boxes with a grin that made her toes curl.

' _Why do I feel so anxious?!'_

It was maddening on so many levels! Violet wanted desperately to deny the attraction she felt toward Clow Reed, and it was easy in his manor where she knew how everyone stood in his regard.

But going to see an old student – something of a shock – who happens to be his ex…

External to her thoughts, said sorcerer just grinned brighter. He clasped his hands on his staff, and stood with a regal pose that did nothing to lessen the impact of his answer.

"Why! We will open our own magic stand!" Clow's good mood was nerve wrecking. _'He's planning something!'_ Violet noticed with suspicion. And then thought better of it… wait.

' _Don't they have a Statute of Secrecy here?'_

"Is that even allowed?" Violet questioned curiously, eyebrows twitching.

She was eyeing him now, trying not to be affected by his cheerfulness, not think much about it. Whatever he's cooking, he is bound to share it sooner or later.

"Of course. I wouldn't do anything illegal" Clow assured innocently. Eyes twinkling behind his glasses and grin full of teeth. Violet was liking this lighter side she was seeing, the side that wasn't a Teacher.

' _But even if he's making light of the situation, there is something else… something he is not telling me'_ It was in the way his dark blue eyes would darken when deviating from her gaze, or the way a shadow would stir lazily, even with the sun baking down on them.

Violet had to learn to read people to survive. The hat wanted to put her in Slytherin for a reason.

"Somehow I doubt that" The witch burrowed her creeping paranoia, smiling back at the sorcerer as she reciprocated the banter.

"You hurt my heart with your cruel accusations, apprentice" Clow spoke with a raised eyebrow peeking above the frames of his glasses "Not an ounce of forgiveness in your being for this old, foolish sorcerer?"

"Seriously Clow!" Violet snorted, then snorted again as a reluctant laugh bubbled its way out of her throat...

' _If he wants to do anything, good or bad, who will be able to stop him?'_ And then, as if summed by a fountain of longing and hope…

' _Me?'_

An almost hysterical voice in her head was calling her insane, but her heart ached just a little more for the sorcerer's touch.

"We aren't doing anything illegal by opening a magic stand, there will be plenty of people doing the same though not every one of them have magic, of course, just mere parlor tricks and clever use of hands" His voice broke through her mirth, and Violet caught herself nodding once more.

"And your girlfriend?" the witch asked half playing, half callously - but didn't expect the sorcerer's reaction. He frowned down at her, eyes narrowed as all light fled from his face.

"She's not my... girlfriend" Clow told Violet seriously, a band of cold iron lanced across her heart as it flecked out the beats – it wasn't fear, _far from it –_ the sorcerer's darkened blue eyes were piercing into her, urging her to _see_ , to _understand_. She did. "And Su Yung opens a stand every year, so she should be there"

' _I was right, there's something wrong'_ Goosebumps broke out across her body as the warm morning sunlight lost heat.

' _Better stop being petty now before I truly irritate him'_ There was no reason for Violet to continue her jealous ribbing… She could, somehow, read from his very _being_ that she had no reasons to be jealous.

…

 _There was this thrilling, dangerous call urging her to make Clow lose his patience. It made Violet nervous and bothered, a deep sense of dark anticipation lighting all her nerves on fire. He'd be gorgeous then, cloaked in wrath and darkness._

…

"Alright. Anything else I should be prepared for?" She wouldn't apologize. Not for the way she felt. _'I'm mad… utterly, ragingly, stupidly mad'_

Clow Reed's temper is terrifying.

Violet felt as far as _terrified_ as _possible_.

"I might need to leave you for a moment or two. There are special items that I must acquire, and I'd like to keep your presence a secret from the clans for a while longer" Clow explained, not smiling, but his face has lost that darkened torpor that caused butterflies to fly in her belly. "Violet… this is of utmost importance… it is not for naught that I want to keep you a secret. I ask that you trust me on this" He added seriously "It is for this reason that I was reluctant to leave you here on your own"

The green eyed young woman nodded slowly, conveying as much through her gaze as she could. _'I trust him… and I understand somewhat…'_ It didn't mean she liked it, or that she would happily sit quietly twidling her thumbs the whole time.

"I understand. I suppose I will have to sit in our stand for a while" She sighed, not happy, but _'What can I do? I don't want to create problems for Clow… if only I still had my invisibility cloak!'_

"Don't worry" Clow finally broke out into a pleased smile. His countenance softened as he reached a hand to touch her hair – he hesitated for a moment, seeing that Violet was _not_ protesting – before giving in and caressing a strand of dark copper carefully, achingly gently "My business will not take long and my presence should cloak yours… I'm sure that when you _are_ free to explore, you will find something you've been wanting for a while"

Violet's breath shuddered. This felt even more intimate than the innocent little touches they've sneaked throughout the couple of weeks she's been here.

' _Wait… what did he say?!'_ Heart beating wildly in her chest for a multitude of different reasons, the witch grinned in a way that she hasn't in a long time.

"A wand?" Escaped her lips almost before she could form the words. Clow smiled at her enthusiasm, the contemplative darkish mood they fell in completely gone now.

"Indeed. I've contacted an old acquaintance of mine. He will be at the festival and has very reluctantly agreed to part with a receipt" the sorcerer told her, Violet nodded eagerly "With it we will be able to create your wand from scratch"

Mildly surprised that someone was willing to part with a craft. _'But then again, it_ _ **is**_ _Clow'_ It really explained a lot of things. He _is_ a scholar, and lived to collect or create magical crafts.

"Did you make your own staff?" She asked, absently looking at said staff, the sun half gleamed under the light of the real sun while the other half, the moon, was seemingly absorbing it.

"No. I just fused both my parents' staffs together as they longed to" Clow revealed with a reminiscent, sad smile "Now enough questions for today, get ready for transport" He offered a hand.

Violet accepted instantly.

XxxxxXxxxxX

Orchestrated by Clow right on the mansion's foyer, the magical circle grew, unfurling like a flower beneath his feet, radiating his power and will in little pulses that took Violet's breath away.

The sheer magnitude of his spell washed over them, and the only thing keeping the witch on her feet was the anchoring hand holding her own.

Clow's usual outfit – his dark blue, white/black and gold robes swayed along with their hair as a mythical wind picked up – The young woman could _feel_ the sheer energy being drained from the sorcerer, sapping at his strength and straining his might.

The power build up, the circle stretching under their feet flickered minutely and then settled.

"Don't move" Clow's voice didn't even dither from the very visible drain on his power "It should be connecting soon" his warm, steady hand tightened its hold on hers.

' _I wasn't going to move'_ Violet wanted to say, but the conjured circle coiled up like a giant, ethereal fly trap and swallowed them up.

…

After such a dramatic build up, Violet was expecting something more explosive.

What happened was a strange mix between apparition and floo, only the tumbling only lasted a scant second – though the toll it took on her balance was horrid. _'I'm glad we didn't eat anything!'_ Because if she was feeling queasy _now_ , imagine having to do that with a stomach full?

"Are you alright?" Clow asked plainly, not looking even remotely ruffled after breaking through the fabrics of reality and transporting them to another continent.

' _Every transportation technic has a limit… like apparition distance depends on the witch or wizard's mental fortification… Floo is sustained by a connecting network, and port keys are ridiculously costly to spell… and even then, they are crude and tap at ley lines… that's why they're religiously regulated'_ Violet might not have her apparition license, nor did she participate in the all the classes Hermione did… but she was there to listen to her friend's occasional rants.

…

" _Why can't there be magical airplanes or something? Didn't Ron's dad spell a car to fly?"_

" _And look how that ended…" Ron uttered under his breath to Violet, who, as the co-conspirator of that particular plot, reserved the right to remain silent._

" _But no! Magic and electronics don't mix… that's why witches and wizards have to depend on such archaic methods!" The bushy haired girl continued._

" _What about the Knight bus? It's a two decker bus that's been heavily spelled, and is a viable magical transportation" Violet argued. She personally hated the Knight bus, but it_ _ **was**_ _still transport. "The enclaves have not evolved past the nineteenth century… I'm sure that when they discover the brothers Grimm, we're going to have flying busses too"_

 _The image of a bus with wings or a zeppelin hybrid filled Violet's imagination and she snorted in laugher at the thought._

" _Rather fly on a broom" Ron noted._

" _Ugh…Can you imagine the riot it would cause the muggles radar? If only instant transportation was less troublesome! Do you know the three principles for apparition? They are-"_

…

That was one of the last conversation the trio of friends had before things with Umbridge went pear shaped in fifth year…

"I'm fine" The witch blinked, feeling her nausea receding and accepting the arm offered to her, as her muscles still spammed sporadically.

"It takes a while to acclimate to a new location" Clow supplied helpfully "Your body needs time to realign itself, if you need hold on to me" Violet, in a moment of weakness, debated what she should or shouldn't do…Well, he's voiced the invitation she needed to give in the temptation and lean against his strong, stable chest.

So that's what she did. _'Oh… ohhh… so this is what it feels like being in his arms…'_

' _His heart… it has picked up'_ the green eyed witch noticed with a blush staining her cheeks. She's been to forward! Risking looking up at his face, Violet sucked in a sharp breath when she found the most tender of expressions staring down at her. Clow's arm, which she held hostage in her quest to stay upright, curled around her back, bringing the witch closer against his side.

' _Dangerous territory, Violet!'_ Her brain protested, but her heart was quite content to swoon and melt deliciously against him. The texture of his fine robes against her cheeks was strangely fascinating, as were her knees wanting to entwine between his.

With a flinch and a strangled groan, Violet pushed against Clow so she could stand on her own awfully doddering legs.

"I think I'm fine now, thanks" She strained not to stammer, hoping the rouge painting her cheeks had receded enough that Clow wouldn't think she was a pervert. "Are _you_ alright? I could feel the cost it took to cast the transportation spell"

Clow shook his head lightly.

"It wasn't such a large hurdle... Transportation magic can be very dangerous if not treated with care. Since both you and I are fairly powerful magically, the vacuum our presence created upon leaving instantly had to be compensated against… the same can be said for our arrival here" He sunk into his teacher mode, making a fond expression make itself known on Violet's face "I had to send portions of my powers ahead to forge a path we could follow, upon arriving here, what was mine returned safely to me"

They traded smiles. Smiling was becoming easy the longer Violet spent with Clow.

"Will you teach me how to do that?" She asked eagerly. Her companion kept smiling amusedly, tilting his head to the side and looking at something above her shoulders… until Violet finally had the notion to focus on something else but him. Green eyes widened "Merlin! Where are we?"

The room they transported too was spacious and airy. There was a heavy looking wooden door, with golden decorations all around the frame and surrounding walls – which were a warm cream color. Beautifully detailed wood panels covered a long corridor that extended into the building, the arches above every visible passage was see-through, made of stained glass in flora motifs. A rough carpet covered most of the floor but the very edges and hand crafted paper lanterns hung above their heads, offering soft, wavering illumination.

Everything was covered in fine details, a cacophony of visual stimuli that was making Violet dizzy and ridiculously awed at the same time. From the very scholarly decorations ranging from book shelves and chests, to beautiful statues, crystal sculptures and gorgeous metal frameworks… Not to mention the absolutely breathtaking view that could be seen from the windows.

A peek outside disclosed a well maintained ornamental garden, exotic plants lined up stone laid paths, which snaked around the grounds and went above a lake in the form of an arched bridge, leading into a Chinese style gazebo.

"Welcome to my home in Beijing" Clow smiled, eyes sparkling and hiding his posturing. And he _was_ posturing… in his own discrete and shameless way.

' _Just like a blue and gold peacock!'_ the sorcerer couldn't hide from Violet's eyes the fact that he was proud of the effect this house had on her – nor was Violet hiding the overwhelming fascination she was feeling for this taste of foreign culture.

" _Huan'ying hui jia, wo'de zhu'ren_ " A male's voice greeted politely from the corridor beyond the large entrance. The man was short and middle aged, long greying hair in a long braid and dressed in robes sporting Clow's house colors – with a sun and moon sigil on his breast.

Violet's eyebrow scrunched up, she didn't understand a word the man said. Clow apparently did, though, because the sorcerer perked up and stood forward, prompting the one who was clearly a servant to bow down so lowly, his braided hair touched the ground.

" _Wei wo'de nu'shi zhun'bei yi'ge fang'jian_ " Clow said back, voice unwavering and commanding. The servant stood up once more and shot the witch a curious, discrete look before scurrying away to accomplish whatever Clow sent him to do. "I see, from your confused frown, that you do not speak Chinese" the sorcerer noticed with amusement.

"Not a word" Violet deadpanned dully, glaring balefully at Clow's upturned lips.

"I suppose that's one more thing I am to teach you" He stated so cheerfully that Violet had the sudden urge to hide. "Don't worry… the festival we will be going to is quite filled with foreigners, and if it becomes necessary, we can come up with a translating circuit… though those are a little problematic…"

"Then until I learn the language, you're stuck translating!" The witch snapped. The sorcerer chuckled, the deep sound leaving his lips and curling sensuously inside her belly.

"Gladly, my dear" The witch tried to ignore how smoldering his eyes looked when he met hers. "And in Chinese you say... _Hen le'yi, qin'ai de_ "

XxxxxXxxxxX

TBC~

End notes for this chapter:

01: I'd like to thank all the wonderful reviewers~ I never got so many for this story, you guys are amazing! thank you for stoping and letting me know what you think - a longer chapter for you :)

02: I strongly advise you to take a quick trip to your search engine and look through traditional chinese castle interiors… my descriptions do no justice, you will be captivated like I was! I spent hours pouring over pictures and drooling over the archtecture and the interior design (my uni major~)

03 :A helpful person helped correct these~

Servant's line when greeting Clow: _Huan'ying hui jia, wo'de zhu'ren_ _–_ welcome home my lord.  
Clow's orders to the servant: _Wei wo'de nu'shi zhun'bei yi'ge fang'jian_ _–_ have a room prepared for my lady.  
Clow teasing Violet: _Hen le'yi, qin'ai de_ _–_ gladly, dear.


	15. Part XIII

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!  
Extra note: Frustrating times ahead.. I dearly wanted to hold onto this chapter, lol!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 13)

XxxxxXxxxxX

Since they arrived a little after midday – there's an 8h difference between England and China – Violet chose to rest, eat then explore the mini-castle Clow called house.

Wary of magicians houses and their multitude of traps, the witch had to check with said house's owner if it was alright to snoop.

"Of course, my home is yours" The sorcerer let her know instantly, smiling that secret smile that tugged at her heartstrings, as he settled to confer with his servant Wang Hyu-an Lu, who wasn't actually human.

This wasn't settled with Violet's wide eyes. She _was_ interested in what kind of being Wang Hyu-an was, and Clow Reed was more than happy to indulge in her search for knowledge, doubly so because he was a major source.

"Wang is a bound spirit, a poltergeist… he used to haunt one of my family' storages, so my mother bound him in contract for five hundred years in return for destroying so many things and causing mayhem"

' _Equal exchange… to obtain something, you give up something of equal value in return… does it really apply everywhere here?'_

Violet wasn't certain of what price magicians paid in her world – although a little different, Clow and Violet's magic were compatible, and she imagined that if the wizarding enclaves weren't so stubbornly retrogrades, magic would have had a larger potential than it already did.

' _Back to exploring'_ The witch thought excitedly.

The house was huge, three stories high – the room she was given was once more right beside Clow's, which fortunately was close to the enchantingly large library. Violet would have loved to waste the rest of the day sprawled on a soft carpet, head popped up by a ridiculously detailed, embroidered silken pillow and a book or scroll in hand – the only thing stopping her was the fact that all literature was in Chinese…

Aside from the library, Violet discovered a sinfully comfortable looking sitting room. Tapestry hung on the walls, and whatever left bereft was covered in raised floral arabesque, painted golden to go with the blue and black silk draperies.

It was so very different from his house in London! Comparing oriental architecture and decorations to their counterparts in England was a nice experience, even though Violet wasn't all that sensible to artistic works.

' _None of the pictures move'_ She noticed absently, wondering how much her perception of this house would change should she find a moving painting. _'And the bathroom is_ _ **weird**_ _'_ And wasn't that experience an interesting one?

After an hour and a half of entertaining herself inside the house, Violet finally got bored enough to go look for her host – comfortable in the knowledge that she wouldn't get lost.

' _Not as big as his house in Cambridge, but with the sliding walls and hidden doors you never know'_ It was not even close to Hogwarts' level of complicated. If compared to the moody castle and its wayward ghosts, this house was tame.

Just as she predicted, Clow was still sitting in this house's version of his study room in the second floor, doubling as an office of sorts – though there was no balcony – instead, an intricate oval window opened out to reveal a view leading to a quiet outside street.

"This place is gorgeous" Violet made sure to tell Clow, just to see that preening glint in his eyes that made funny fond tingles explode in her chest "Where is this house located anyway?"

"We are currently in Beijing, northeast of the Chaobai river" The sorcerer smiled, motioning out the window with a hand "Look out, you might see the glare of the sun reflecting from Chaobai… if you travel up the river, it leads to the Chao, fed by Hebei melting waters, and if you keep traveling southeast following the current's flow, you will be met by the Great Wall of China"

"Great Wall of China?" Violet remembered some of her primary school lessons, and one of them was about the seven greatest monuments of mankind. The Wall is one of them. "Whoah, I had no idea we were so close! Can we go there sometime?"

' _So that exists even here? I want to see it'_

"Everything you want, Violet" Clow told her tenderly, smiling so softly that the dimple hiding in his cheek didn't even appear. The air stuck in Violet's chest as an unknown but pleasant feeling spread through her body, settled in her chest and made an already flustered heart pick up in rate until it could be compared to a hummingbird. "Tomorrow morning we shall visit the festival's administrative officer to settle an agreement for a stand of our own, and the day after tomorrow will be spent setting up in the festival grounds and I am counting on you to mind things while I seek to conclude what brought us here. We should be done by the weekend, and then I will make sure to introduce you to the beauties of Beijing"

Flushed from the look in his eyes – he wasn't pretending to mask _anything_ this time… _'He isn't hiding his feelings by putting on masks around me anymore'_ Violet noticed with awe and a thrill of adrenalin – the witch could only nod half numbly at the sorcerer's words.

' _Before, I would only catch faint traces of this… whatever it is… in his eyes…now it seems he's up to something'_ Of course her more cynical side had to poke its head. It made the high Violet into break. She made sure to grin back at Clow though, minding that her expression wasn't actually grimace.

"That sounds great… but are you sure I will be fine minding the stand on my own?" She questioned, noticing with a strangled breath how his smile didn't falter, and if anything, became even warmer and accepting.

' _Like I can do no wrong… as if he'd paint my name on the moon if I asked'_

"Don't worry… I have a plan" Clow said reassuringly… For some reason, assured was the last thing Violet felt.

…

Wang Hyu-an Lu was murdered in 1489, in a storage room belonging to the Li family, when his wife caught him cheating with the young master he served… Since she couldn't have the young master, she got him, with a knife, six times – his body was hidden in a chest and left forgotten in said storage for years until it was finally repurposed during a particularly bountiful harvest in 1495.

Angry beyond belief that his resting place – and the place where he last saw his lover – was being so utterly defied, Wang Hyu-an went on a vengeance filled rampage, breaking equipment, rotting the food, curdling milk and making a nuisance of himself. He ended up destroying half that year's harvest that's been sorted in his particular storage house, and only stopped creating chaos when the master's younger daughter came back from abroad and sealed Wang in a contract of servitude.

Now here he was, three hundred and sixty years later.

To his eternal relief, his contract wasn't given to the master, but to his grandson. Clow Reed – Yinghuá Li's only son with her foreigner husband. The family all but disinherited the girl for choosing a foreigner, even though he had powerful magic of his own, only keeping her name in the clan register as a formality, since she was the master's second daughter.

Wang should, by all rights, despise Clow Reed… and he _did_ , for all the sorcerer looked like the spitting image of his mother and grandfather, the spirit's ex-lover. But Clow Reed was so wretchedly powerful and so horribly cunning – that nothing Wang ever tried was of use, even skittering the edges of what was allowed in the contract of servitude.

Only the fact that Clow Reed seemed to dislike his family's harpies endeared him to Wang.

And now… now Clow Reed brings a young foreigner woman into his house… she didn't have a good, child bearing body, nor was she plump enough to be considered beautiful – but Wang saw her for what she was. A slap in the face of the Li clan.

Oh, old Wang agreed wholeheartedly with the young master's ploy. He could read the mood between the young master and the lady, could see the lust building in them, and it was quite clear to Wang that the young master wanted his lady.

So he decided to help a little.

It took a bit of maneuvering, a tiring tad of gesticulation and a good dose of mimicry for the strange foreigner lady to understand what he wanted to tell her.

"Do you mean a bath? I can have a bath?" Her eyes lit up. He nodded to whatever she said as he guided the guileless woman through the corridors, down the first floor and into the spring's changing room.

" _Zhù nǐ hǎoyùn_ " Wang waved at the door, grinning happily at a job well done.

…

Violet was winding down in her room from an honestly exciting day and preparing for a subsequent, equally as tiring day tomorrow if the prospects stood correct.

' _Though I wish I could have a bath right now'_ Her sore muscles begged, and just from imagining herself submerging into a hot water filled tub made her body melt bonelessly on the mattress.

' _I could have taken Clow up his offer to use the springs… will surely do so tomorrow. Merlin! I feel lazy!'_

And washing halfheartedly from the conveniently placed water basin was no help at all.

' _Better change…_ ' The witch thought reluctantly, not wanting to crawl out the comfortable bedding and reach for the trunk where her night clothes were stored. She lost the power of choice though, for in the next five minutes her peace was disturbed by Wang, Peeves' helpful cousin.

' _Wang won't come into the rooms unless it is to clean them, and Clow don't visit me at night'_ Violet mused, forcing herself to move and slide open the door to greet the servant.

Amidst amusing thoughts of ' _where do poltergeists come from?'_ to _'what in Morgana's twisted panties is he trying to tell me?'_ Violet tried to decipher what Clow's ghostly servant wanted. It took an embarrassing while, but she did get the gist of it.

"Do you mean a bath? I can have a bath?" She asked excitedly, ignoring how poor Wang could only look at her with this helpless look in his eyes and nod. _'Ooh, thank you second chance!'_

The witch grinned, bouncing back into her trunk to gather the necessary bathing items, like her favorite soap and a towel – She knew eastern bathing customs differed from western ones, but few things stayed the same.

She's going to get wet, clean then dry again. In that precise order…

Wang motioned with his hands, a universal gesture that meant " _come_ ". Violet followed the ghost, carefully watching her step so she wouldn't trip on the carpets now that the night has fallen and light was dimmer.

A couple of moments later, Violet was left unceremoniously in front of the door that led to an anteroom for the Springs – actually a bathing area made of a spacious pool that could be filled instantly with warm water – there were rocks and a garden in the room, along with a sky light that showed a wonderful view of the night' sky - filling the springs with a sense of peace and relaxing.

' _I heard something'_ Violet tensed, eyeing the door with suspicion. _'Nah, must be a cicada… summer is almost here'_ she shook her head, drawing an anticipating breath and sliding the door open.

What met her eyes was _not_ an empty pool.

Mouth dry, the witch froze on the spot as her cheeks changed colors so fast her skin _burned_. _'Not… good…'_

Clow Reed already occupied the waters, relaxing back against the pool's margin with his head thrown back, eyes closed and thin lips half parted open.

Slick black hair slithered backwards from his head, a few wet strands clinging stubbornly to the skin of his neck, shoulders and forehead, pooling on the dry stone behind him.

His body wasn't exactly built for strength, but his build was sinewy. The planes of his chest were hard, trimming into a lean torso and a flat belly. Like many oriental men his body had little hair, just a smattering of teasingly dark pelage drawing a sinful path down beneath his bellybutton, continuing down until disappearing from sight beneath scented and salted opaque waters.

Oh, Violet already thought him attractive before – not only his lovely exotic face, but his mostly his _mind_. It wasn't an attraction firmed in lust _'though the dreams helped…'_ because of her genuine lack of experience – but Clow's personality, flaws and virtues attracted her in a pure naïve sense.

' _But… oh Merlin…'_ Thought the girl who's never seen a bare _man_ before… and wasn't he glorious to look at? Chest rising and falling, moves languid and relaxed, the flutter of his lashes now more visible without the glasses he wore. Violet was privy to every twitch of his muscles, the force his tendons explored, the sheer virility of the powerful man – her knees were getting increasingly weak.

' _I'm peeping… I'm peeping at Clow in the bath…'_ She realized fretfully, anxiously backing out the room as slowly and silently as she could while keeping an eye on his face _'Please don't open your eyes!'_

He stretched. Letting out that low, guttural groan from deep within his chest… His neck rolled, Violet whimpered…

There were two vastly amused blue eyes resting on her flustered form, as far from offended as one who's been peeped at should be, though he did look surprised for a second or two.

"Why my dear, if you wished to join me, all you had to do was ask" Clow purred, lounging like a feline observing his prey. Water lapped dangerously around him, threatening to expose something Violet wasn't ready to think about yet.

"I'm so sorry! I… I didn't know there was someone already inside, and there can't be anyone else but you, since we're alone here, and I didn't think, Wang said bath… well mimicked really, and I wanted a bath so I… I'm rambling… sorry!"

Amused chuckles followed the flushed witch out the Spring. Violet closed the door with a snap and rested against it for a moment to regain her bearings - throughoutly ignoring the sound of sloshing water as Clow indubitably rose from the pool. Rustling sounds came, then footsteps as he must have dressed in robes, and was now walking to the only exit.

' _Do I run?'_ Her brain frantically asked her common sense. _'It will only make things more awkward later'_ Common sense told Violet, who was fairly sure her grasp on Clow's idiosyncrasies was accurate. She stood from her leaning position and prepared her heart for the worst – though that flutter of anticipation was hard to disregard.

Her sorcerer friend came as she predicted. Tall, imposing and dripping wet. The utterly dark and debauched light in his eyes was unholy, agreeing with the completely self-satisfied smirk covering his lips.

"What I said stands true, Violet" He said promisingly from the doorway. "All you have to do is ask, and I will do my best to accommodate you"

' _He is seducing me… I'm not imagining things'_ She cried mentally… the sheer _want_ weaving evil patterns in her lower belly, pressure building in her blood – rushing in her ears like lava – making her hairs stand on end.

"But… you're my teacher… I didn't think you…" _would think of me like that_.

"Since the first time I saw you, I think of you precisely like _that_ " Clow promised. "And was it not you who accosted me in the bath?" He teased, making Violet's blush explode in volume and intensity.

"I-" words got caught in her throat. _'I can't… I think this is a bad joke… there's no way he'd propose to me…I'm not ready…'_

His eyes were now more silver than blue, they bore into her own, as if he could read her very _soul_.

Suddenly everything slowed down.

"It seems I went too far, too soon…" When Clow reached out a hand to smooth over Violet's hair, she didn't flinch, leaning into his touch instead as relief spread around her stiff limbs. "I am deeply sorry for surprising you like that, Violet. I regret stressing you, but I do not regret what my words mean, they still stand true"

"Do they, really?" Her voice was shaky, but there was this spamming warm feeling flooding her heart. "Will you wait until I'm…?" _'…ready'_

' _Do I dare hope that what I feel is reciprocal?'_

' _Well'_ A coy little voice in her head whispered _'If a man blatantly propositioning you was not an indication that he wants you, you're the dumbest bint on earth'_

"Always" He sounded broken heartedly lonely. Violet curled against Clow, hoping this past few moments were nothing more than an awkward dream.

"You know I can't stay here…" She warned halfheartedly, but soon became unaware of everything else. Thankfully she missed the dark pondering look that crossed the sorcerer's face… it soon transformed into a smile so loaded in mischief that it promised the end of the world in a bang…

…

"Wake up, my dear, we have a busy day ahead of us" Clow's voice sounded annoyingly chipper. Violed groaned against her pillow. It twitched underneath her cheeks. "We do have to rise sometime this morning" This time, the voice sounded huskily, right by her ear.

A green eye popped open, followed by a second one.

"Whah?" This wasn't her room.

And that was _not_ her pillow.

"I said I'd wait for you… I just didn't say how quietly" Long fingered hands wrapped around her shoulders bearing her weight up, and making Violet realize with embarrassing clarity that she was sleeping on the sorcerer's chest.

' _What is going on?!'_

XxxxxXxxxxX

TBC~

PS: Don't hate me please?


	16. Part XIV

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 14)

XxxxxXxxxxX

…

 _The cold wind blew through the opened window in his room, rustling slightly at the heavy curtains before Clow had it closed with a thought. He might not be partial to the elements, but his precious other half was still vulnerable._

 _He picked her delicate body from the ground, noticing with some amusement how fetchingly red her cheeks were._

" _Let us put you to bed, my dear" The words were uttered against her drowsy face as he settled the young woman in his arms – she felt exhausted, utterly drained from the day's ordeal – he could feel echoes of her excitement even now, and that brought a smile to his face._

 _Clow set a steady pace to her rooms, torches lighting in front of him in ready attention, chasing the incessant shadows that seemed to cling onto him given any opportunity._

 _The darkness crooned a dispassionate note, but grew stronger when given light. Clow ignored the call of darkness, letting his magic rest and swoon in Violet's presence._

" _Mmm Clow…" She moaned against his shoulder, making the sorcerer still for a moment. When she said nothing more, Clow continued with the same pace as before._

 _He willed magic to open her chambers, and was about to deposit her on the futon when Violet latched with a tight, unrelenting grip on his arms._

" _You have to let go, my darling girl" The sorcerer urged softly, actually equally against letting go as she was._

" _Don't wanna… Stay with you please" Violet only clung piteously tighter. The sorcerer felt he should put more of a fight, Clow chuckled under his breath, a protest ready in him… but he was tired of fighting and well… what is he but a servant to her whims?_

 _So he eyed her – and thought of his large bed, where he could nestle her protectively, and there would be enough space not to test his willpower too much. Plus provide an unmeasurable ammount of fun coming next morning._

" _Alright, you win this one my dear"_

…

The way back to her own room was spent in thought.

' _Did I spend the night in his room?!'_ Her brain screamed indignantly, the propriety of the situation being called into question at the same time. On another hand, there was this wiggly, wobbly ball of fuzz that clogged any rational thought from making itself known for longer than a few seconds.

Of course she was angry that Clow, the one who took it upon himself to protect her and help her find a way back home, was shamelessly trying to seduce her. It made her feel insecure and quite frankly, terrified.

The only thing stopping Violet from running away from the situation, was the fact that she, for some unfathomable reason, _trusted_ that mad, twisted sorcerer. She trusted he wouldn't take more than she was willing to give, and trusted he'd respect her boundaries…

He wouldn't pressure her in anyway – unless her 'master' started making sensual passes at her like he started last night, following up with the madness this morning.

Once she set them and made them clear - boundaries were necessary.

"That git… I am in big trouble, aren't I" The witch questioned her door when she reached it, tracing a couple of golden flower decals with the tip of a finger. She pulled the door to the right, closing it behind her.

' _I should be way more offended than I am'_ Violet scowled inwardly, irritated at the way her palms would sweat, and the higher rate her heart would beat. A very becoming blush now permanently painted her cheeks, and the morning couldn't get more awkward if she tried.

...

" _I said I'd wait for you… I just didn't say how quietly"_

 _..._

' _Am I really surprised?'_ The green eyed young woman reflected, remembering with clarity the different way Clow looked at her, how he seemed infinitely more gentle with her than with anyone else. His eyes were always following her, and his smile actually reached them.

' _No, I already knew something was up…'_ Clow's tactile approach to her personally, as if his hands couldn't spend a day without finding her skin – and Violet could not, _would not_ , dare deny that she feels the same way.

But even admitting Clow's rather blunt and crude approach was shocking, it also served as an eye opener. _'I never believed he'd want someone like me!'_ the witch admitted to herself with a sigh, wincing as years of abuse and low self-esteem reared up with ugly consequences.

Violet stepped into her room shaking her head, and made way to the trunk where her clothes were kept. Though she still wore the clothes from the night before – never having taken the prospective bath, thus never changing into her nightclothes – the witch was hesitant in wearing her rumpled dress another day without a good washing.

The smell of his bed sheets still clung to her dress, mixing with the musk of her sweat and driving Violet's hormones into a raging crusade, slowing whisking her daft – faint traces of herbal tea, foreign spices, parchment, ink and _magic._

The desire in his eyes when he caught her spying on him was so wanton, so sensual. It caused heat to course in her veins, a carnal hunger to ignite in her stomach and wild fantasies to spring in her mind.

All it took for this strengthened lust to awake in Violet was for her to close her eyes and rest her head against her trunk, all strength leaving her legs.

…

 _The scene she caught in the bath was replayed, but this time, she was sat astride his lap, slowly riding him as she licked the masculine column of his neck, smoldering blue eyes watching her with uncontrollable desire._

 _Her hands would find his soaked hair, fingers curling around the raven colored strands and pulling his head back, until she had unlimited access to his jaw and lips._

" _You feel glorious, my dear one, my Violet" He'd whisper, say her name so ardently it sounded more like a prayer._

 _Pressure would build between them, the air charged with wild burst of magic as their pleasure reached a peak. Violet trembled on top of him as a wave of completion was finally set inside her, like a firework, spreading from deep within – she couldn't control how the explosion made her curl forward into her lover, desperately seeking contact as the almost painful experience prolonged by his contact._

 _Her limbs would jerk, she'd call out to him, pleading, begging for him to join her in the abandon of a well consummated love before she couldn't take it anymore – her heart was swollen so much, it was ready to burst. "Please, please…"_

…

The cool wooden trunk felt like a relief against her burning forehead.

"I'm such a pervert…" Violet mumbled against the inanimate object, wrapping her arms around it as she recovered from the daydream. The intensity surprised her, even more so because this time, she _did want it to come true_. "Better get ready soon…" the witch trailed off, thinking forlomly of the trying day ahead.

With the tantalizing scene from the night before, whatever whacky scheme Clow is cooking and this particular daydream, Violet would have a hard time meeting the sorcerer's eyes. And he's bound to notice it.

' _Aw hell'_

…

"Wang…" Clow called with narrowed eyes, a very displeased frown downed on his face. His mother's repentant prisoner came slinking from the corridor, entering the sorcerer's rooms slowly and with his head down.

' _Good'_ He thought darkly _'The stunt he pulled yesterday was too dangerous'_

In more ways than one…

A lot of self-control was necessary not to drag Violet into the bath with him.

Her eyes appeared almost black with how wide her retinas were blown. She was watching him, cataloging him, he could feel the sheer _lust_ coursing through their bond the moment she stepped into the Spring – there was a caress, following the path her curious, hungry eyes followed, and Clow put on a show just for her.

' _It is about time she stops denying what we feel'_ the sorcerer thought, a daunt task indeed.

It should have been dragged out for as long as possible.

The last thing Clow wants is to cause Violet conflict. So he's hiding a couple of very essential things from her.

Like the fact their very souls were connected in a bond made of ether and light, and that it grows stronger everyday they spend in close proximity. There is absolutely no helping it – even if for some obscure reason Clow denied the bond, it wouldn't _go away_ because who can erase the other half of themselves?

He's also never told her he _can't see her_. Not for lack of trust, because he was absolutely convinced that Violet's loyalty belonged to him just as his belonged to her – What he didn't trust was everyone else.

Like Yuuko implied… Aside from being an anomaly, a magic user from _another universe_ , thus a powerful tool in the right hands - Clow Reed, the one whose prescience escalated into the realms of gods themselves, could _not_ see her.

If _any_ of his enemies, and even some allies, caught wind of this blatant weakness in his defenses, it would be _bad_.

Clow faced difficult choices when he accepted Violet in his life. He knew very well from the beginning what everything would entail. He realized the handicap as it was, was ready for it even.

But just as he had his options, so did Violet.

The sorcerer did _not_ want to cause her anguish – and that's what going to happen should they acknowledge their relationship in a deeper way. He was content with flirting; the touches left him bereft, but steady, and the dreams wrenched from the bond were reasonably pleasant if not frustrating.

How is Violet going to feel when she indubitably had to chose? Leave or Stay - Because Clow was keeping to his word, he'd help her return home even if it killed him inside.

The whole travel to China thing?

He felt the need to come, associating the urge with a vision he shared with Yuuko – they'd need special gems, a ruby and an aquamarine, and together they'd conquer the borders of reality.

…

 _Sitting on top of silken pillows. The merchant will charge little for them considering how precious they become. The red one and the aqua colored one. He was close to completing that part of his mission._

…

And now this _development_ … Seeing his other half so raw, seeing the nude desire bubble in her and spill into him, _knowing_ that she wants him as much as he wants her…

Everyone has limits.

And Clow Reed just reached his.

Damned be his heart when he had to see Violet go if she never chose to stay… better to have loved and lost, to never finding love at all – as the saying goes. He hoped she'd also be alright.

' _If only I could follow her'_ But _everyone has limits._ What would his choice be when the time came? He could follow Violet, or he could stay and continue his previous plans just as easily.

"Master…?" Wang Hyu-en didn't stammer, but the nervousness and fear in his eyes offered a grim sort of satisfaction to the displeased sorcerer.

"Never do something like that again. You were out of bounds and have caused my apprentice great distress" The enslaved spirit shrunk in chastisement, bowing so low his forehead touched the ground.

"Please, forgive this meddlesome fool…" Wang groveled, growing increasingly desperate as the sorcerer had yet to remove his weighting gaze from him.

"Dismissed" Clow allowed at last, when he felt Wang Hyu-en understood just how _pissed off_ he was. Wang was almost at the door when Clow spoke softly, so softly that the spirit had to strain his ears to hear. "But thank you, old friend"

' _Thank you for spurring me into taking matters into my own hands'_

As soon as Wang was gone, the smile that curled on Clow's face could only be read as positively devious.

Violet proved that what she feels goes _leagues_ beyond platonic. Clow felt she deserved to be shown the same courtesy.

XxxxXxxxX

"We are going to Tianjin today" Clow Reed told Violet as they left the house and greeted a relatively calm street. He offered the witch a hand, smiling sweetly at her. Violet blushed bright red, but accepted the hand being offered as she didn't want to get lost in the throng of people.

"To see the fair's administrative office?" the witch questioned, falling into step beside Clow, letting him guide them swiftly. She did notice how shy women were, and how many of them were dressed in beautiful designed, local appropriate outfits – but ended up shrugging it off.

"Amongst other things, yes" the master sorcerer nodded, tugging at Violet's hand until he had her arm draped over his so snuggly the green eyed young woman would have a hard time pulling off. Clow smiled her scowl away, patting at the hand curled beneath his. "Let me guide you through one of the wonders brought up to us by one of my good friends"

His blue eyes sparkled fondly, Violet's cheeks couldn't get any redder at this point – the man's glee was delicious to regard, all bright and warm. So to avoid further embarrassment, her eyes sought after the hustle of the street they passed by.

' _Will wonders ever cease?'_ Violet gaped silently at the beauty of the place around her. The buildings were peculiar, beautiful in their exotic way – colorful draperies, red and gold almost everywhere. The smells of food and spieces assaulted her nose, making the witch remember all the nice food she's had for dinner and breakfast, tasting China's culinary for the first time.

"What wonders are we talking about?" Violet found herself asking daringly, sufficiently curious – weren't they going to Tianjin or something?

Seeing the confusion written in the way her brows furrowed, Clow started to explain.

"While my house is in Beijing and we will be staying there for the remainder of this trip, Tianjin is another city southeast from here and not somewhere we can get on foot, carriage or any normal means… at least if we want to arrive today" he told the witch, expertly manipulating them to a slightly busy crossroads.

"Then how will we get there?" She was paying attention to his words at the same time as she looked at the prosaic, but strangely comely image of life happening around her. "If we're teleporting again I'd rather not…" Violet winced, remembering the ill revolting of her stomach when she experienced Clow's version of 'teleportation'.

Her companion chuckled warmly. The fine hairs on the back of her head rose in tandem, attraction rolling down her spine.

"Nothing like that. An old friend of mine earned the moniker of Traveling Witch. She has a knack with magical tunneling and jumping short distances instantly, and has developed a series of corridors that connect the all the major cities in Asia, branching into Europe and one even in New York" Clow answered, making the witch think once more on the rarity that is hearing the sorcerer talk about his _friends_.

Violet has _not_ forgotten Su Yung – Clow's ex. _'Why do I feel so bitter?'_ The young woman eyed her companion suspiciously _'And why does he feel so fussy?'_

Deciding not to ask if she wasn't going to like the answer, the green eyed witch let sleeping dragons lie. Besides, it's not her place to feel jealous of Clow – though there was this burning _hatred_ at the mere thought of the sorcerer in another woman's arms.

"That sounds incredibly useful" Violet allowed gracefully, proud of herself for being so level with her reaction. Clow raised an eyebrow at her, amusement rolling off of him in waves.

"Indeed" Clow said lowly, voice casting an incredible influence in her respiratory system, for her breath hitched at the unexpected deep purr he used to communicate "All we have to do is find a crossroad or a passageway, so hold on _tight_ " They were standing smack in the middle of one.

Violet blinked, the sorcerer pulled her forward one step. A gargantuan tunnel sprung in front of them…

…

On the plus side, it didn't take long for Clow to convince the Administrative office that he _should_ be given a stall, why yes, he'd pay to rent the space up front.

The rest of the day was spent exploring Tianjin and all the delights hidden in it.

…

Yuuko felt one of her tunnels being used.

There is only one person who'd know how to use them beside her.

"Why did I not see this coming? Clow is in Tianjin?" The raven haired witch wondered with a growing sense of horror. She wasn't as powerful a diviner as Clow, but their bond meant she was able to easily keep tabs on him… But she couldn't _see_ him move, not until he used her pathways…

' _He's supposed to be in his house near Cambridge, catering to that menagerie of his and playing host to a disaster… how did he end in Beijing, going to Tianjin?'_

It could only mean that the foolish sorcerer is walking around with a damn time bomb!

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~

Final notes:

Tianjin, or Tientsin was a major step of China in giving Europe land concessions. It actually started in 1860, but since this story passes in the year 1856, I thought we would see some signs of foreign market flourishing in Tianjin, mostly because this particular segment of history is filled with Piracy and conspiracies... (at least according to the internet)

Listened to this at least 10x while writing these last few parts: Bizarre Love _Triangle_ – New Order (1986 version) – though there is a "newer" version, Bizarre Love Triangle – Frente.. Which is girly and sweet and will give you cavities from just listening to it.


	17. Part XV

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 15)

XxxxxXxxxxX

XxxxxXxxxxX

The gaudy decorations were a clue.

' _Oh no…'_

The ridiculously large crystal ball was another.

' _He didn't…'_

The dark blue velvety cloth with gold trimmings around the bottom, over a dramatically cut table was a dead giveaway.

A reddish brown eyebrow twitched.

The owner of said eyebrow's breath hitched in irritation and a certain measure of _disbelief_ – come on! She knew Clow had a mischief filled streak a mile wide, but to catch even _her_ in its wake?

"I thought you said something along the lines of Magic shop…" Violet's voice was painfully unimpressed. Wang shifted on his feet, taking a step toward the boxes that kept all the surprise hidden.

At first, when the sorcerer first brought them to the fair's grounds, the witch was absolutely _enchanted_. All the colors and stalls, all the people mingling about, the noise, the _energy_. She had no idea where to look first and was loving every minute of it.

Until Clow caught her attention with a small laugh, filled with ill-concealed amusement and a sadistic glee hidden beneath that made a coil of dread clog up Violet's throat…

' _Clow just didn't…'_

He was standing next to the mysterious boxes he brought from Cambridge, leaning nonchalantly over them as he stared at his the green eyed companion.

' _Is that velvet?'_ Violet noticed Wang opening the lid of one of the boxes, pulling out a strip of fabric with horrified fascination.

"Did I say that? I thought I said we would open a Magic stand… never said what kind though" His cheerful smile didn't diminish Violet's exasperated angry mood. She had the impression that she's just been inadvertently _pranked_. "Let's have you looking the part-"

And if the decorations weren't enough, the fact that Clow was now trying to push Violet into wearing a cliché fortune-teller robe – complete with sun and moon sprinkled all throughout the fabric, would have made his intentions way too obvious.

' _The sneaky, conniving berk!'_ Though the way a chuckle spilled from his lips and danced through the air around her, Violet knew when she was defeated.

"Fine! Give me the robes!" The witch snapped, snatching the dangling fabric from the tittering sorcerer's hands. She didn't even need to remove her dress, the fortune-teller's outfit was light and airy, fitting over her clothes and falling gracefully around her body – mysterious hood and all. If only it wasn't a seriously _illegal_ shade of purple… "Are those jewelry?"

"You need to look authentic, or you won't attract as many customers" The sorcerer explained breezily, the smile splitting his face, although discrete, had devious written all over it.

Violet's eyebrow twitched again.

"And what will _you_ be doing in the mean time?" Asked the witch with only a measly measure of irritation… "I do want to explore some before you finish meeting your…" something twisted in her guts, making Violet stop and carefully think about what she was saying "…student"

"Wang and I will help you settle here" He told her. Clow looked oddly grateful and even proud when he looked at her. "Then I will sweep the grounds for the presence of other magicians and let my acquaintance know we are here"

"Fine… when will I have the chance to go out on my own?" Violet didn't whine, but her temper was flaring dangerously at the fact she was being, for all states and purposes, treated like a child.

' _If he thinks he can walk all over me, he better be prepared to be_ _ **disappointed**_ _'_ No one – and she means it, _no one_ , would make her bow against her will again.

The sorcerer sensed her serious mood, for he was quick to touch her – a gentle hand on her head, sliding down her face so he could envelope a shoulder with a single palm. Violet glowered at Clow for a second, though when she met his eyes again it was to see this urgent _need_ for understanding.

His mouth thinned, lips pulling down into a faint grimace.

"Not today" Clow let out a gust of air from his nose, pulling Violet closer to his side. She didn't resist very long… the warmth of his skin seeped through his sorcerer robes and were wonderfully comforting as a turbulent, ugly feeling swelled in her chest. "I just ask that you trust me on this, Violet… I have enemies, and although you are a capable witch in your own right, I am not willing to risk your safety over your freedom"

The first thought that crossed her mind was _'There is something he isn't telling me'_ Oh, his words rang of truth. His promise throbbed in their bond –

"… _I won't ever utter a lie to you, Miss Potter; however the truth can be unpleasant no matter how one words it"_

-But Violet had enough experience dealing with people who danced to the Greater Good tune to know when she was being told incomplete truths.

The second thing going through her mind was…

It all sounded distressingly familiar.

Violet closed her eyes, feeling the sharp sting of tears forming in the back of her eyes. _'Clow's words ring true and familiar, because they were what I told myself when I pushed everyone away'_

Since learning of the big, fat target painted on her back by Voldemort, seeing the extent her friends would go for her _and_ witnessing Sirius' death – Violet did her best to keep her friends at bay, to push them away, to isolate herself the best she could to fortify a heart that broke so very easily.

"Fine, I trust you" The witch mumbled against Clow' sleeves, absorbing his scent for a last time before pushing away from him. "But I… I don't like blindly following orders, nor do I like being treated like a child… I _am not_ a child Clow, and you _will_ explain whatever it is you aren't saying if you want me to keep trusting you"

Magic sealed her words. They echoed with promise, powerful, biding and bitter. If Clow has ever underestimated Violet and what she was made of, he'd be in for a shock.

…

 _Something in her chest pulsed, a light spilled directly from her very core spiraled completely unbound and joined with the ribbon that came from him. He felt strangely elated, as if her standing up to him was a personal victory._

…

Instead of showing displeasure though, the sorcerer only smiled. A serene, gentle smile that tugged at Violet's heartstrings. She held her ground though, meeting his now silvery eyes and holding his magic filled gaze.

' _Why does he seem satisfied? I just… defied him, questioned him, and yet here he is…'_ The witch perceived with a sudden startle. The silence that fell between them became suffocating and heavy.

"Very well" Clow finally allowed "The closer you hold on to a secret, the more poisonous it gets... Wang, do kindly stop eavesdropping and go scout the rest of the fair grounds" The sorcerer stopped talking to turn a stern façade to the teetering pile of boxes.

The servant jumped from behind them, bowing his head with so much hurry Violet had no time to gauge his expression – though a thin sliver of amusement filled her for a moment.

"Right away master" Wang took a glance at Clow's expression, then dared to look at Violet – his face muted, torso bowing again before he hightailed out of their stand.

"As I was saying…" Violet's companion started again. "I feel like I have much to apologize for, and no amount of excuses will make up for it… Your arrival here was not _silent_. I felt you coming for _months_ … your arrival tore through the fabrics of this world and sent waves that were felt by a lot of people, not all of them have good intentions"

' _Hell…'_ A shiver of dread ran down Violet's back at the sorcerer's revelations. She was torn between feeling grateful that he hasn't told her sooner, and angry that he only told her when she cornered him.

' _He was trying to protect me from feeling this helplessness…'_ It was a sharp reminder of Dumbledore's withholding information, in a vain, useless attempt to have her enjoy a carefree childhood.

"I don't appreciate you not telling me this right away" Her voice trembled. "Why?"

"You're an _unknown_. They don't know what it is that came through; they just know it's powerful… If… _when_ … others find out about you, there will be trouble" Clow continued carefully, voice in a comfortingly low cadence. The witch swallowed the implications of his speach, not having to be told how serious the situation was. She leaned into his arms again, seeking comfort that he also gave in words "Violet… I will not let any harm come to you"

"I asked for this, didn't I?" She choked into the silk of his outer robe. "But thank you for telling me… I will be careful"

"Thank you for understanding, my dear" His right hand rested on her back while the left was brought up to cup her cheeks, lifting her head at the same time as he curved his neck, bringing their faces together so close his warm breath fanned at her cheeks. "One last thing… The last thing I see you as, is a child… I've been looking at you as an adult ever since I've laid eyes on you"

Before Violet could comprehend the wave of _love_ that enveloped her and respond to it… Before she could fully understand that all she had to do to be kissed was lean into him a little more… the sorcerer was straightening again, steadying a suddenly weak kneed witch with a fond, if exasperated smile.

' _All I had to do was ask the right questions…'_ She understood this now. Violet was used to prying what she wanted from people with metaphorical crowbars… How much power had she over Clow? The fear and dismay she's felt at his answer before all but melted into a puddle of frustrated female goo.

On another hand… _'He has successfully distracted me!'_

"Why don't we start setting things up?" The sorcerer asked after a minute, letting Violet recompose herself. The green eyed woman shot a look at the smiling Clow, then looked at the jewelry she was supposed to wear so she could 'look the part' and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"I'm not wearing _those_ " She said vehemently. There's no way she's walking around _willingly_ looking like a gaudier version of Trelawney! "Wang can wear the fortune-teller outfit, I will play the assistant" the witch announced, pulling the glittery monstrosity that Clow called costume over her head, breathing in relief at being out of it.

The mental image of _Wang_ dressed in the hideous clothes brought twin, perfectly jocular grins to both their lips.

XxxxxXxxxxX

Clow left Violet and Wang after pulling up their stand, still grinning in unrepentant glee at the sight of his mother's bound spirit dressed so ridiculously – though he would have loved even more if Violet was the one to wear it.

' _Ah, my dear… will I be seeing more of your fire?'_ How he longed to get burned… Just the glimpse he saw from anger was magnificent. There was this dark, deep satisfaction that his other half was learning she's his equal in all ways that counted. He might have experience and knowledge, but his precious gift had _so much more_.

The sorcerer looked over his shoulder as he walked away from the stand, leaving it defenseless like this chaffed on his nerves, but if he or Violet erected any form of barrier, it could be felt by other practitioners of magic – who would come to investigate.

' _No choice then'_ Clow's eyes sharpened. The time for playfulness has expired. _'Where are you Su Yung…'_

He's been feeling an ill portent from the east for days now. It started as an itching in the back of his senses – his powers' ways of manifesting – so he focused on his prescience and what he _saw_ had Clow wish he hasn't even bothered.

Once upon a time, he loved Su Yung. She was bright, intelligent and kind, the kind of woman who enchanted him effortlessly. He regretted the day they parted ways, knowing it wasn't under his wings that the sorceress could truly fly.

' _But to be reunited under such dire circumstance is daunting'_ the sorcerer gave his student room so she could develop on her own. Apparently, he shouldn't have minded.

Anger and guilt warred for control, skittering and tiptoeing all over his feelings. Clow was hoping to solve things peacefully, if not, he had to be ready to do the worst.

…

Finding Su Yung was relatively easy.

He could feel her magic, watery and slippery, from far away. They still shared a bond, tattered as it was by years of separation and bitterness on her part – but still there.

Su Yung was inside a tall and rich looking tent, playing the fortune-teller as she knew where her talents lie. Only, there is a black tenor note to the air around it, as if heavy, promiscuous clouds hung around the area just courting darkness.

' _Someone has been playing with things they shouldn't have'_

Clow resisted the urge to laugh at the measly display, waving an almost lazy hand and dissipating the encroaching shadows, which were more than eager to obey him. Instantly, the air cleared as if taking a breath. He used the event to enter into the spider's nest.

Steel grey eyes were piercing and assessing, lips painted a nice, consistent plum color and she still wore her hair half pinned up in twin buns. Su Yung was holding court atop a silken cushion, hidden by draping silk curtains and a thin layer of incense – a basin full of water sat in front of her, her eyes snapped up to meet his immediately.

She was still as beautiful as the last time he saw her… only this time, there was no stirring of lust in his blood, and the love he felt for her was a muted echo – something he remembered fondly more than felt… Strange that all it took to disconnect Clow from reality was meeting his other half.

"Clow" Su Yung seemed naturally surprised to see him, no façade. She's never seen him coming…

' _Interesting'_ the sorcerer mused, wondering if it had anything to do with his inability to _see_ Violet, and if that invulnerability of hers went beyond him and affected other magicians. _'Yuuko… she's said it already, no one can see the 'event''_

He came with Violet.

Sharing her magical invisibility.

A _very_ suspicious smile lit up his face. Su Yung shifted slightly upon seeing his expression, and Clow fought down the chaotic joy he was feeling after coming to the epiphany… as long as he's with Violet, no one could _see_ him as well. _'No use making Su Yung distrustful of my intentions'_ but he's just seeing another side to the Achilles heel that came along with his witch and couldn't help but grin.

"Su Yung… I trust you have been well?" He asked, making small talk. His ex-lover's eyes narrowed surreptitiously.

As soon as he said that, Clow was assaulted by visions… possible futures playing out beneath his eyelids. _'How unexpectedly interesting'_ the sorcerer thought, not even caring about the filaments of fate that connected both him and Su Yung shriveled until they were nothing more than husks.

There was a fairly large quantity of outcomes to his meeting with Su Yung. Two stood out the most to him.

In one of them… _They would reconnect, the passion ignited once could be twice done, and they'd conquer the world and cover it in depravity. He'd fall completely into the darkness he once controlled while slowly suffocating them both in despair._

In another… _He comes to meet with her after_ _ **seeing**_ _her fall. He tries to convince her not to abuse her powers, not to against the higher order of life. She won't listen. She thinks she's right. So he seals her very soul into a book and hides it away… there is something else there, a tug of awareness that he follows through the ether, and at the end of it he sees it – her redemption at the hands of his chosen successor._

So Clow plots.

"Yes, of course. Though you could have warned me beforehand about this visit" Her voice dipped into a seducing drawl, her posture became more forward. "Had I known you were coming, I'd have prepared a more intimate welcome"

' _She still loves me'_ The sorcerer saw the feeling wafting out of her astral presence and lingering closer to him. The place in his chest where he kept his other half rebelled viciously to the attempt – his witch was a territorial little beast, it seems.

Su Yung recoiled visibly, lips pressing together as she tried to look at him through her mage eyes.

"I assure you it would have been a wasted effort" Clow chided gently.

The madoushi's power pulsed humidly once, twice, three times. Branches of it plunging in his direction. The sorcerer's response was a raised eyebrow in calm reproach, letting the attack crash uselessly against him – he'd long been immune to the elements, hasn't she learnt that yet?

' _No, she hasn't forgotten my lessons… Su Yung has become more confidant…'_ It wasn't quite enough to make him feel proud of her.

"Then what do you want? Did you come here to mock me?" The words came out as a hiss from her mouth.

' _Where is this coming from?'_ This woman standing in front of him covered in frustrated animosity is _not_ he young woman he once taught and loved.

"I am… disappointed" Clow told her instead of answering her baiting. For a second, the madoushi's face crumbled and her emotions opened like a book. "What have you done, Su Yung?"

…

 _An utter destructive despair, shame, determination and a burning, insidious hatred…_

 _As if a curtain opened, he was able to see it._

 _What her eyes saw, what her ears heard and what her heart felt…_

…

TBC~


	18. Part XVI

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!  
Ugh.. This has gone completly out of my original script... Clow does what he wants, lol!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 16)

XxxxxXxxxxX

 _(continued from part 15)_

 _As if a curtain opened, he was able to see it._

 _What her eyes saw, what her ears heard and what her heart felt…_

…

 _They were inside a cavern. Sutras covered every possible inch of the walls – so that_ _ **no one**_ _would be the wiser for her actions, and a faint flickering lamp sat by her feet – she's never been good at fire or light spells_ , such a waste _, Su Yung thought before – now she knew better._

" _Are you sure this will work?" The young voice asked. She smiled congenially down at the boy._

" _Of course it will! As soon as you soak in these waters, your magic will grow stronger" She told the child, urging him forward until bare little toes were bordering the margins of a sparkling lake._

" _Enough that father will acknowledge me?" The boy – Chao, no family name since he was a little bastard – poor child wanted so desperately to be recognized by his father so he and his mother could escape from poverty that Su Yung couldn't resist helping._

" _Of course. You will become all your father ever wanted in a son, much better than your half-brothers… maybe if you try enough, even your father's wife will accept you" Honeyed words to disguise the poison left her plum painted lips. "Your sisters will admire you, your mother will be proud of you… don't you want to make her proud and take her out that place?"_

" _I-I do!" Chao cried to Su Yung "I just have to enter the lake?" He asked tremulously. The madoushi nodded, smiling kindly._

" _Just step in, until your head is under water. Count to ten then you can step out"_

 _The boy obeyed her, eagerly to obtain what Su Yung couldn't give. A small step at a time, until his shaved head disappeared under…_

 _The lake bubbled around the submerged child. A flowering brown stain starting to bloom from the center of the waters, right where the boy was. Ten seconds later, he was coming out, dragging his feet and looking utterly drained._

" _I don't feel very well…" He said before collapsing on her lap. Su Yung smirked, caressing the foolish child's head._

 _She's just taken his magical potential._

 _Earth Element, how common._

…

…

Rage curled in his belly like the cold fires of a void dragon, licking up his insides and leaving burning icy trails up to his throat. Of all the abominable things she could have done…

"Madoushi, what have you done?" Clow's voice was controlled, even and leveled. It betrayed nothing of what he felt.

A tumultuous wind carried dark promises, particles of power filled with anger settled in every shadowy crevice they could reach. Darkness stirred, moving through the ether slowly and then picking up speed as it almost broke free of restraints. No… it wouldn't do to let his temper get the best of him. He owned his old students the courtesy to at least hear her sides of things.

"It is none of your business!" The woman he thought he knew snapped, rising from her cushion so there wouldn't be so much difference between their heights. She was tall enough that the top of her hair brushed against his chin. "You left me… All alone! I had to do what I could to survive!"

'… _Of all the absurd things!'_ His thoughts were still following logic, but his powers were now tearing at his control as his feelings fell deeper into anger. The shadows in the tent trembled slightly; the very air thickened and became stale.

"You had to steal children's potential to survive…?" He asked redundantly, both of them knew it was a lie. _'It wasn't just one child. Chao was only one at the end of a long list of victims'_ It was… ugly. A perversion… you don't steal from children, you nurture them, teach and protect them.

' _This is not news'_ Clow reflected inwardly. Su Yung was not the first, nor would be the last to deprave on the sanctity of children. It still shocked him enough that one he considered a friend would do something like that. He had a bad feeling before coming here, now he just felt _tired_.

"Well? Aren't we mighty atop our perfect, high towers?" Su Yung sneered "You want to ask why I did what I did, go ahead and ask" And Clow could still feel the _hurt_ radiating from somewhere inside the witch, buried beneath years of bitterness.

' _I don't even have to ask… I should have kept a better look on her'_ He didn't. Didn't want to hover over his old student like a shadow, distracting her or even stunting her growth… So the sorcerer refrained himself from _looking_ , but even then things slid through the cracks of his control, and his powers let him know the sheer _mistake_ he was committing. _'Would a sterner hand have been enough?'_

' _No_ ' Disappointment and sadness, along with a great dose of regret, made the brunt of his own anger recede. Suddenly, the tent was lighter. His old student's back relaxed, her steely eyes meeting his with an unfathomable depth.

The tendrils of darkness spearing out his churning soul coiled back, he started to prepare a spell; just in case.

He had to ask, as she suggested. If only to draw some amusement from what promised to be a disaster. "Why?"

"For you!" Su Yung, now calmer without the threat of his anger, told him with a strained smile. He could see them. Her plans… unfurling like the wings of a recently emerged butterfly, just out of its cocoon. The little insect fluttered its wings in a strain to fly. "We are meant to be together, that's why you left me, so that I could _grow_ , amass power, and now that I have enough you came back!"

Metaphorical hands encased that butterfly.

In his mind's eye, destiny played, possibilities came and went like gushes of wind – an infinite circling in the coils of a never ending snake biting its own tail – the route he'd take was obvious. _'But first, the chance of redemption has to be offered… I shall not take that away from Su Yung'_

"You did something wrong… you perverted on the innocence of children, predated on their magic and corrupted a bond of trust that should have been sacred" Clow stated gently, standing there in front of her and would be smiling as if nothing was wrong in the world – if not for the edge of danger glinting in his eyes, which were more silver than blue. "Do you at least regret what you did?"

"No" Her voice shook. Panic settling in her face. He could taste her desperation, the fear and the faint hope she could still convince him. Su Yung approached the sorcerer in a fast gait, throwing her arms around him and bringing him down to meet his lips with her own – there's where he stopped her – mouth inches away from his. "Clow… let us be together once more… I deserve you now, I do, let me prove to you" she begged uselessly, only making the memory of the sweetness of her kisses becoming increasingly sour.

"I don't know what I said that made you think I'd condone to your actions" The sorcerer started, maneuvering Su Yung until he had her face grasped between his hands, forcing their eyes to keep connected. "But I do _not_. I abhor what you did. You've erred. Regret what you did, now!"

This was the only chance he'd give.

"Never" The madoushi hissed. "I'm not that naïve little girl you took in once, I'm not weak anymore, I…"

"…Never left the past behind" Clow interrupted her rant and sighed sadly. "I let you go, so you could find yourself beyond my shadow. Our relationship was smothering you, Su Yung… as a sorceress and as a woman. Letting you go was the kindest thing I could have done" Magic started to coalesce under his skin, spilling out the pores of his arms and hands, illuminating the madoushi's suddenly terrified face.

"No! don't do this! Clow, please! You did this to me!" Her begging hurt, her accusations troubled him, everything she went through _chaffed_.

He might be a kind man, even forgiving. But the truth of the matter is that right now, he had to be jury and executioner. Once upon a time, he'd have wondered about the rightness of his actions… the truth of the matter is… _'I do not take kindly to being manipulated'_

' _It was all because of me'_ – or that's what someone foolish would think.

' _You are responsible for your own actions_ ' Clow thought to himself coldly. _'My choices might have influenced hers, but it was not I who_ _ **fell**_ _'_ because the world would weep in dark sorrow the moment Clow chose to fall, so he didn't.

Su Yung's pleas fell in deaf ears. But not an antipathetic heart…

Clow had his own purpose of doing things. And even if what he wanted – _Violet_ \- never came to pass, what he envisioned _before_ , his foretold heiress Sakura still would.

 _Plans within plans, within plans._

"Do not worry… for all the blame you put on me, I shall show you pity" And he did. Avoiding the tears dripping down Su Yung's cheeks and the smudges of her make-up, the sorcerer dove into her mind with a relentless purpose, erasing everything from the point where he left her to the point where they met again. "Hate me… despise me… it should give you greater purpose than love ever did"

The spell he's been silently summoning for the past minutes exploded forward.

One moment there was a woman in his arms, next moment there was a flailing book.

"Good bye, Su Yung"

He left, after picking up the book and putting it amongst the witch's things… when her people noticed she's disappeared, they'd take care of her baggage.

He stepped outside the tent, away from Su Yung's territory… when something else tingled at his senses. A familiar presence was close by.

' _Oh… It seems someone has become curious'_ He thought, trying to suppress his anger a second time that day.

XxxxxXxxxxX

Wang was doing an excellent job pretending to be a fortune-teller.

The middle aged man looked absolutely ridiculous in that costume, which drew a veritable crowd of tittering children and their amused parents to come and giggle by their stand.

The silly crystal ball was mounted on a table, hanging lamps and colorful draperies completed the settings, and Violet could be found drifting behind Wang, doing her best to pick up on the language everyone was speaking.

Every couple of minutes, someone would sit in front of Wang Hyu-an and he'd talk briefly to them – then he'd stare intently at the crystal ball, and speak some more – reactions varied. Some laughed, others cringed, but most only looked indulging.

' _Clow has been gone for a while now'_ Violet moped completely bored of observing people.

"… _your arrival tore through the fabrics of this world and sent waves that were felt by a lot of people, not all of them have good intentions"_

The sorcerer's words played in her head in tandem with the wish to go against his advice and go out to explore.

' _I'm used to being in danger'_ the witch thought sullenly, but had she said anything to Clow, he'd have asked about things she wasn't ready to share yet. _'Weren't you the one complaining about being treated like a child?'_ She admonished herself for being silly. The least she could do was keep her word and stay put, if not for herself than for Clow who seemed to worry needlessly about her.

Something in her chest settled.

A strange feeling taking over the witch the more she kept that train of thought. Once, the green eyed woman believed breaking the rules and acting on her own – mostly because no one believed in her – was the norm. No adult ever listened to her concerns and troubles, and the Dursleys erased any deeper trust she had in authority figures.

Then, when she came to Hogwarts, the trend continued. Not until the very end, when she had to fight tooth and nails for the secrets Dumbledore kept from them all – did she realize what the _Greater Good_ meant.

' _I'm not a pawn, nor a mindless tool'_ the witch winced as her stomach twisted, wrapping her arms around herself and leaning against the now empty travel boxes, carefully not to topple them with her added weight.

Being told the reasons _why_ she's asked to do things, being listened to, given credit and liability. It felt empowering and _good_.

"I'm in love with that… that git!" That's the truth of the matter. "Bollocks…"

…

She lost the feel for it.

So close… _'Yet so far away…_ '

It felt like a whirlpool in the fabrics of reality, a point where all possible outcomes converged, perhaps a _node_. Unexplainable and dangerous…

Shivers broke out down her back. Yuuko blinked. A large amount of magic has just been used, and she knew by _whom_. _'Oh dear, he is in a terrible mood'_ And obviously she was a masochist, because not a second later she was uncloaking herself, making it easier for Clow to find her – otherwise it would have taken him a little more time, though he'd have noticed her eventually.

"You know, it is rude to use a lady's roads without noticing first" She teased, hoping to distract her old friend from the foul mood he's in. It was beyond dangerous to play with Clow like this, his very presence sent shivers through her body and made her nerves shake.

Her own powers surged, trying to connect to him and read his future without the barriers of mirrors' glass between them. All she saw was a large black hole.

"You followed me here" Was all he said. Clow's eyes were still silvery from whatever stunt he pulled. Yuuko didn't want to know. She was still faintly terrified by that pulsing darkness clouding his fate.

"I admit I might have followed you a little bit" Yuuko kept on the light tone of voice. "But I do have a couple of questions… starting with; What the hell are you thinking?"

His lips pulled into a parody of a smile. "I'm thinking that it does not concern you" Clow told her with a measure of coldness, a warning she'd take to heart.

"But you do" The wandering witch told him frankly, making one of his eyebrows rise in wonder. "You're virtually invisible. I never felt or saw you coming here until you used my crossroads"

"Oh… it is not actually a bad thing, is it?" All animosity bled out of Clow for a second, Yuuko was able to see genuine affection infest his distant, polite visage. Her heart clenched. It could only mean one thing… "Never mind this now, since you're already here, why don't we go see Gui Feng? He has what we need for _that_ project" Clow initiated the change of subjects, Yuuko went along with him.

Despite her burning curiosity, she still had caution. Clow just used a large spell, a couple of minutes before meeting her. _'Not in a good mood is an understatement'_ So Yuuko won't be the one to push him over the edge.

"That sounds fine" She agreed pleasantly, pushing all her feelings aside to walk beside Clow. "How are the calculations into moving to other dimensions going along?"

"Almost done" His smile never reached his eyes. For some reason Yuuko felt sorrow.

…

TBC~

Extra note: Originally I thought to have Violet against Su Yung, but Clow is a secretive little sod, and never went around telling Violet what was going on... but don't worry, Violet will see her share of action soon. :)


	19. Part XVII

All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 17)

XxxxxXxxxxX

Clow returned to the stall as the sun was setting, finding Violet loitering behind Wang as he closed things up – she's tried to help him, but was rebuked and told – mimicked – to stay out of the way.

"So, did you meet with your student?" Violet asked, fighting to tone down the beats of her heart as she regarded Clow, beautifully decorated paper lanterns lighting up the twilight sky with even more reds and oranges.

"I did. Unfortunately it went how I expected it" The sorcerer admitted, expression troubled. It wasn't easy to tell, since Clow perfected an inscrutable poker face, but Violet prided herself in her observational skills.

' _He's sad about something'_

The witch narrowed her eyes, giving in to the instinct that was urging her to _touch_ him. So she snagged his hand, effectively pulling his attention on their point contact.

"What do you mean?" Violet asked, Clow hesitated, making her heart race with a different kind of nervousness. "Talk to me" She urged softly. Words spilling into that single sentence that she wouldn't have been able to speak out loud. _'I will never betray your secrets, please, lean on me a little'_

"People always have ways of surprising you, even someone you've known for years and trusted once upon a time" The sorcerer smiled. It didn't reach his eyes.

"Is that your way of saying you've been betrayed?" Violet asked slowly, prompting the sorcerer to answer. She didn't want to aggravate him, yet she did want him to open himself a little for her.

' _Just ask the right questions'_ the witch reminded herself.

Clow searched her face carefully. The witch wasn't offering pity, she was offering understanding. So she smiled grimly, eyes closing as she let memories consume her.

This time, she's decided to share too.

"I had this professor… Severus Snape… he taught Potions in Hogwarts, and seemed to despise the very air I breathed. He relished in every opportunity to humiliate and diminish me" Violet's voice hitched. Professor Snape died in her arms, giving her his memories with his last breath "I hated him. I hated him for years until I learned the truth and learned to forgive him… professor Snape was in love with my mother. They were friends, but then fell out after a fight. He and dad were arch enemies while in school, but dad did an unforgiveable thing, he saved Snape's life… Professor Snape didn't acknowledge the debt, however, he joined with Voldemort and his Death Eaters – you remember I told you about them? – And overheard part of the prophecy that foretold the dark lord's fall. Snape told Voldemort about the prophecy, and Voldemort attacked me and my parents on a Halloween night…"

Violet paused to breath, as the stingy pain of old emotional scars flared. The sorcerer had his head tilted, lips pulled into a bewildered half smile. "You forgave the man who caused your parents' death?"

Shocked, she shook her head.

"No, it wasn't that simple" the witch's back slumped. Clow caught her, resting her forehead against his shoulder. "My father… had three inseparable friends. They liked to play pranks and did everything together, calling themselves the Marauders. Prongs, Moony, Padfoot and Wormtail were their nicknames. They graduated Hogwarts and joined the fight against Voldemort. When the prophecy was proven to be about my family, mum and dad went into hiding using one of the most secure wards they knew, the Fidelius Charm" Violet buried her head against the sorcerer's warm robes, taking in his scent and ordering her thoughts.

She continued explaining, relaxing a little more when Clow raised a hand to comb through her hair, aligning strands and undoing knots from the curly locks.

"The charm can hide anything. Whatever it is becomes a secret, and the secret is given to someone you trust - a secret keeper - the only one who can share it. The one everyone thought the keeper was Padfoot, since he and dad were almost brothers – so to protect the secret further, dad and Padfoot decided to make Wormtail the secret keeper, since Padfoot would attract attention to himself leaving Wormtail safe… Wormtail was… secretly a Death Eater"

Implications ran obvious in her tone, as did the succession of events.

"Your father's friend betrayed the secret to Voldemort, thus allowing him to target you" Clow correctly concluded on his own. Violet nodded, the movement absorbed by the sorcerer's thick robes.

"Yeah… but I was talking about professor Snape" the witch pointed out, not willing to dwell on Peter Pettigrew more than necessary. She saved his life, and he died saving hers at the end.

' _I don't hate him, but I hate what he did at the same time I find myself glad he died saving me, the one he condemned…'_

She's not fond of the pile of bodies left in her wake – the path to defeat Voldemort for good was long, tiring and bloody. _'I don't even know if it was worth it!'_ Being whisked away into this new world as soon as Voldemort was down!

Clearing her suddenly dry throat with a swallow, Violet lingered inside the sorcerer's warmth. "When he realized what folly he did, Snape begged Voldemort to spare mum" she revealed "Voldemort obviously didn't spare anyone, and thus Snape decided to give himself to Dumbledore – the headmaster and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, an Order created to oppose Voldemort's growing influence – and work as a double agent, spying on the Death Eater's movements and ploys. He… died to protect me"

"After all that happened, all he did, and you still forgave him" Clow deadpanned with a sigh, yet there was wonder in his voice. "How big is your heart, Violet?"

Green eyes widened, she felt she didn't deserve his words – but his arms were like vices holding her against his side, so she gave in and relaxed once more, this time truly snuggling shamelessly. _'Thank Merlin there are drapes in the stand! If not this would be an uncomfortable example of PDA…'_ A detached part of her brain which spoke with an uncanny resemblance to Hermione noticed.

"It's not about me though. I wanted you to know that I _understand_ placing your trust in the wrong people" Violet pointed out, not letting him change the subject or manipulate her into talking _more_ about herself. Her nerves felt raw as it was, even if her hearts felt lighter.

' _A burden shared is a burden halved'_

"And you're the right one…" The sorcerer traced the lines of her jaw with the lips of a finger, delicately mapping her profile as she hid her face in the folds of his robes by his neck. "It isn't a nice story though"

"Mine wasn't, either"

"Our fates are interwoven together. Bonds spring between people as soon as you meet them, different in strength and power and value, it is inevitable, bonds will influence your life for better or worse. My gift is prescience…" The sorcerer trailed off, composing an answer that would satisfy her. Violet had a sudden flashback.

…

" _My true gift is prescience; I can see everything from past, presence and future"_

…

Clow continued "And through it I am assaulted by the future of the people who cross my path. Sometimes I try not to look deeper, out of regard or disinterest, but it is unavoidable that I catch glimpses now and then. Su Yung was my student, later she became more, but I felt that if she continued with me, she'd cripple her potential. I left her, respected her enough not to look into her future since she could do it herself. And so it went, for years… until recently when her activities became too damning and bled into our bond, I _saw it._ Saw the hideous acts she was committing against everything I taught her" Violet could feel his temperature plummeting, a flutter of _anger_ making his heart beat slower.

' _I'm afraid to ask what has caused him so much conflict, because he is going to answer and that's what really scares me'_ Clow seemed tolerant, mild and calm. Violet _knew_ that's because he had to.

She didn't need to ask, though. The sorcerer leaned down, burying his own face in the junction between her shoulders and neck, drawing strength from Violet. The witch's heart soared, so much she could _feel_ the thrumming power of her bond with Clow swelling and reveling in their closeness.

"She was stealing magic from children… Luring them with fake promises, using a cursed lake to drain their potential… I came to see her, wondering if she'd see reason but _knowing_ she wouldn't. Su Yung blamed me, bitter and angry, betrayed in her own right. So I took away her sins and sealed her in a spell to drain away the corrupted magic she stole"

"It wasn't your fault" Violet told him firmly. _'Just like it wasn't mine, eh Violet?'_ the witch ignored her snide cynic side, and uncurled from the sorcerer's body, bringing his face close to hers.

"I know" Clow let her know simply. A bright, happy glee filled the witch, mixing in with the confusion and hurt she felt in the sorcerer's behalf.

' _Clow opened himself a little more to me'_ the green eyed young woman was bitter sweetly happy with today's events, so much impulsiveness was demanding retribution.

' _You can do this Violet, don't think about anything else but right now'_ And oh, how she wanted it. It was clear as day by the amazed light in his silvery blue eyes that the sorcerer has read her mood correctly, and yet did nothing in return.

So the witch took matters in her own hands.

Leaning up slowly, savoring the sweet anticipation, Violet brushed his lips with hers. Such a gentle contact, yet sparks flew through her, breaking apart their magic and joining together again. It wasn't just a kiss; it was the acceptance of something bigger.

Just as she was drawing away, Clow pulled her back up by her waist, hands descending to the curve of her thighs as he supported most of her weight, and swallowed whatever protests Violet had by kissing her again. Throwing her arms in abandon around his neck, the witch focused on the delicious sensations of his spicy breath mixing with hers, of the exquisite pleasure she was feeling, giving in the temptation so throughoutly that she didn't know where she began and Clow ended.

' _Whoah… if this simple kiss feels like this, what would more feel like?'_

"Hmm… I like this" The witch told him dazedly, listening with pleasure to the chuckles that reverberated through him and into her chest.

"I quite like this too, you tricky witch" Violet grinned, feeling the skin beneath his chin moist with her breathing.

' _Well, it wasn't as if I was trying to manipulate him… I just wanted to reward a good behavior'_ her grin turned deceptively innocent.

"Whatever are you talking about?"

"Nothing at all" He replied amusingly.

A noise caught their attention. Violet blushed brightly when she realized what a show they must have put on to Wang, the servant was eyeing Clow with wide eyes

" _zhu'ren?_ " Wang called, making Violet feel vindictive when the sorcerer stared pointedly at the servant. Wang bowed, stood and shook his head, passing on a message the witch also understood.

"It is time to go back" Clow told violet, letting her go, but not bequeathing her hand back to her. The witch decided she could live with that quite easily, so she squeezed his hand "We can go to your wand now, if you want"

Magic filled her smile as she answered "Oh yes! Please!"

…

They had it.

A receipt to wand creation… Violet couldn't help but shiver with anticipation. Clow told her it would take a while to make and mold a wand, and it should be a joint project, so he'd start teaching her as soon as they returned to Cambridge.

The witch would finally have a wand!

Oh she can't wait until she truly had it.

A wand made by Clow and her… it would be a nice memento to have when she went back to her friends… _'It hurts…'_ Violet's eyes shot closed as a wave of staggering pain laced through her heart. _'I don't want to leave Clow…'_

But if today has taught her anything is…

' _I should talk to him about this…'_

…

 _Underneath her skin, flowering and winding, lay her magic. Thrumming in content and rhythm with another's…_ _It was hesitant to allow a separation, so the witch would also hesitate, her other half would not allow her to tear._

XxxxxXxxxxX

In another world altogether, people looked with a mixture between horror and fascination as their chosen one battled against the Dark Lord. The storm brewing in the back ground was staggering, and the fierceness of the Dark Lord's followers left many people with their hands full.

No one could pay _real_ attention to the happenings between Violet and Voldemort, no one but the circle of people surrounding the dueling duo.

They were the witnesses when Voldemort fell, his spell turned against him.

They were also the witnesses of when a lightning bolt struck down on the woman who conquered death, leaving nothing but a smoldering pile of clothes and a burnt out wand behind.

"She's not gone!" Hermione Granger, one of Violet's best friends insisted heatedly to a mourning crowd, Violet Potter just another name to add to a long, sad list.

A lot of voices rose, some in anger, others in understanding, but most denying. "Violet is gone, accept it Hermione" was what they said.

All but one…

"I agree with Granger. Potter was too stubborn to be done in by lightning… something else must have happened" The blond, silver eyed young man pointed out, refusing to meet Hermione's eyes.

"Draco…"

"No mother. You _saw_ the same as I did. Potter wasn't pulverized, she was _taken_ "

…

 _The dark silhouette stood out against the glare of the bolt. It lasted for a fraction of a second, but Draco's eyes were trained from childhood to spot quick movement – he prided himself in his Seeker skills – and although it burned his retinas, he felt he owned to Potter to at least stand vigil over her demise. So he wouldn't avert his eyes as she was crisped by lightning._

 _That didn't happen. Before his widened eyes, Violet's clothes were burnt, her wand –_ his wand actually _\- caught on fire, and just as the lightning receded, it took the witch with it – as if Zeus himself decided he wanted to keep the girl for himself._

…

There was confusion…

Draco donated his memories, along with everyone present that day including his mother – _they also saw how Narcissa Malfoy lied to the Dark Lord about Violet being alive, allowing an opening that facilitated the girl-who-lived access to the monster -_ And they all saw it, hardly accepting, that Violet was indeed _taken_ , and not… scathed by divine fire.

"She's not dead" Hermione repeated. A glint in her eyes that spoke of doom to whoever dared to oppose her claim. "We need to find her"

"We will" Ron nodded, taking his now girlfriend's hand. "Violet is tough, I'm sure she's fine whenever she is"

…

TBC~


	20. Part XVIII

I feel the point is made by now… so stopping with these notices.

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 18)

XxxxxXxxxxX

The rest of the time spent in China, Clow kept true to his words and took Violet everywhere he could – as long as it fit in their week time limit. The trip also did wonders to Violet psych, as she relaxed into her first romantic relationship.

...

Her first romantic interest was Mr. Stephens from primary school.

He was a young biology teacher gaining experience by teaching children. Kind and with an ergonomic attitude, little Violet felt enchanted by him until she discovered he was married – the little hearts surrounding their names she's doodled all over her notebook were painstakingly erased, lest Aunt Petunia found out and mocked her for them.

That wasn't the last of Violet's fascination with older man, amusingly enough. Boys her age tended to be immature and mean. Hogwarts didn't change that opinion much - look at Ron! And he's her friend!

When she was thirteen and her body just starting to bloom into a teenager... She's been awkward all over. Limbs stretching, body parts filling up and uncomfortable hairs growing where they shouldn't as she was bombarded by hormones… She watched her roommates go crazy over boys – mostly the older, more mature boys – and did what she did best, observed.

That's roughly the time Remus came into the picture to teach her the Patronus charm and to talk about her father. He gave her his undivided attention, he didn't single her out in class, treated her like she was actually a normal student – who happened to be the daughter of his best friend, but that just came with benefits – Remus made it insanely easy to fall in love with him.

She'd been insecure and a nervous wreck all year – with the prospect of Sirius Black hunting her down, and Dementors deciding she was in the menu – Hermione was the only one who could understand what she was going through, since the brown haired witch suffered through her own infatuation with a professor the year before. Ron still thouhgt girls had cooties, so he was not in the know...

Violet _continued_ insecure though. Even after learning Remus was a werewolf, she had no courage to approach him with her feelings, not when she'd compare herself to the other girls and see how _lacking_ she was.

And then Remus met Tonks, and although heart broken, Violet kept her silence – not wanting someone who saw her as a surrogate niece to agonize over her selfishness.

The third time she fell in love… Well...

Third time is the charm.

…

The touches continued.

Innocent brushes of skin on skin, a larger hand caressing her fringe away from her eyes or massaging her back and shoulders. Sometimes those touches escalated, and Violet was then privileged to be the sole target of a very amorous sorcerer.

' _Who'd have thought?'_ Violet sometimes questioned herself with wonder. _'That awkward little Violet would know what love feels like'_

And she _was happily_ gaining experience in _that_ department.

Without intention as it was – with the shift in her relationship with Clow came some perks.

And consequences.

' _You can live a lifetime beside someone and learn something new about them every day'_ As she was slowly learning.

As it happened on the first free day they had after obtaining her wand schematics. Clow took them to tour up the Chao river, following the waters until they could see the Great Walls in all its' magnificence. It made the witch feel dwarfed and quite intimidated - small in a greater sense of life. Humbled by the construction, Violet decided then and there that when she went traveling – someday – she'd go check out all great landmarks of mankind.

"This is the _Changcheng,_ or Long Walls, is more than a thousand years old and built, compounded on and strengthened by more than one empire over the years until two hundred years ago, when it was reconstructed around Beijing during the Ming dynasty" Like usual, Clow was a fountain of knowledge... Making the witch think with amusement once more, that her… paramour – she hesitated calling him a _boyfriend -_ and Hermione would get on like a house on fire. "It was built to protect certain territories from invasion and even sustain the Silk Road trade… It's original planning was actually made by the First Emperor Qin's magical adviser, and the actual structure is being powered by a ley-line running just below it, bolstering stone resistance and providing the defensive forces a massive spell barrier to guard them from any magicians allied to the invading armies"

Before her very eyes as Clow and Violet stood before the Walls, magic rose from the foot of the monument like mist, teased by the presence of two powerful magicians. The ethereal mist curved and curled around the wall, stretching until it was almost invisible to the untrained eye.

"Are we an invading army?" The witch asked with amusement shining in her eyes. It was a beautiful show of magic, raw and natural, as if the ley-lines buried underneath the behemoth wall had actually incorporated a semblance of sentiency after so long acting as a wall.

"We would have to be on the other side" Clow mused back, they shared a laugh, then had a grand time trying to find some stairs to climb up the pesky thing.

It _really_ repelled magic though, and Violet thought it would be more fun to try and circumvent it – the sorcerer disagreed.

"We could overwhelm the protections" He proposed, and with his finesse, she had no doubt he could do it in a breeze without damaging the whole thing.

"Nope. Let's walk. Unless those old bones are already creaking at the thought of exercising" She taunted, running ahead and dancing away from his reaching hands with a cackle or two.

' _He's not going to_ _ **run**_ _'_ Violet knew, but she had fun teasing him any way.

"That's it, witch" Her sorcerer, seemingly composed and austere, did what one of his station and power would predictably do, and started to float over an invisible wind – that propelled him in Violet's direction. When he caught her, there wasn't a hair out of place in his head, while Violet's dark red curls were all over the place.

…

The last night they spent in China, Violet wanted to visit the fair – she's never had the chance to explore it to her heart's content.

Clow didn't repeat his fears, though he did hesitate until she shot him an annoyed glare. _'I am not being babied by_ _ **him**_ _of all people'_ And the witch was, indeed, feeling irritation creep up at the sorcerer's evasive attitude.

' _But I don't want to whine…'_ She didn't want him to think she was immature. The three hundred years gap between them already daunting on itself. Violet wanted to present herself as mature and reliable – just as much as she was itching to go out on her own and look at all the fair's wares and foods.

Being an adult in a relationship is all about compromising, however, and Violet - who was apt at adapting to survive - came to that conclusion after thinking over her options.

A Violet from last year might have snuck away, irresponsibly even, without telling anyone anything. She's independent and really – when all she could rely on were herself and two other teenagers at the best of times, it was no wonder the witch had low regard for authority.

' _I trust Clow wants my wellbeing, but he doesn't own me'_ and here lies the crux of her indecision. Plus, the witch did understand his worries after he explained them somewhat… _'It is my calling, not his'_ If she wants freedom, she _will_ have it.

If she's feeling reckless… well… This might also double as a test of sorts – It hurt Violet that she had to test these boundaries, but didn't she just agree with herself that was a mature adult?

"I want to go to the fair, on my own" The witch ended up telling Clow of her decision, prepared to argue her point and concede to whatever he wanted in return. She prepared beforehand – all variants of magical obfuscation spells and camouflaging her magic. The witch even casted notice-me-not charms and had an invisibility one on the tip of her tongue _'In case I need to make a discrete retreat'_

"Violet…" Clow started, but casting a single look upon her expression made him blink... then break out in an understanding smile. "What have you planned?" He asked instead of outright arguing against her decision.

' _That's a point in his favor'_ the witch melted just a little, feeling justified in coming to him with this topic... So she explained all she's prepared in a just in case scenario, even allowing with a magnanimously gesture that the mother hen sorcerer place his own protections on top of hers.

"I like that you worry about me, but I've been taking care of myself since forever. I'm not used to being… coddled… and I need my own freedom" Violet told him honestly, going on her tiptoes so she could place a placating kiss on his jaw. Of course she couldn't stop there once the affection started, and trailed up to his cheek before realizing the opportunistic Clow had her up in his arms as he made a trail of his own behind her ears and nape.

"I will always worry about you, my dear, that's as inevitable as the sun rising every morning" The sorcerer told her directly into her ear, eliciting a gasp from the witch.

' _This is as good time as any to have that conversation I guess… if nothing else, it should distract him…'_ Violet struggled to achieve a higher brain function when all her body wanted was to drown in sensations. She did so eventually, and managed to push herself out of his arms, mourning the loss of warmth.

"That reminds me I have something to… well, I guess I should ask this first…" the green eyed woman sighed. She _wanted_ to stay with Clow, and she knew he wanted that too – it was a feeling that coalesced whenever she's thought about it "How… how am I going _back_?"

Face not betraying his true feelings, though Violet could see how his dark blue eyes became almost black – Clow spoke slowly, as if unsure of the answer himself. "I have found a way to cross through the universes… The theory is sound, but putting into practice is harder. If everything goes according to plan, we will have a permanent solution to cross universe traveling… there is no way to circumvent the toll magic will ask though, so you will have to think hard on what you are ready to give up" He then smiled grimly "I would have told you when I had the means ready, since I didn't want to give you false hope"

"That's good" Violet smiled, feeling as if a world's worth of worries has been removed from her back. Taken aback by her answer, Clow's eyes were increasingly shadowed, and the witch winced, seeing how her words could have been misinterpreted. "I mean… That's good, because while I still want to know what happened in my original world, I… I want to come back here, to stay with you, if you'd want me to…"

"Violet…" Emotions ran through their bond like a thunderstorm.

Intense and raw, Violet was made acutely aware of how _thick_ their connection ran when Clow pulled her into a desperate, hungry kiss – She startled, opening her lips in a gasp that was immediately taken advantage of – and she had her first taste of her sorcerer. Heat surged through her veins, beating loudly in her ears.

The witch melted against Clow's chest, tilting her head so they'd have better access and mobility as the heat escalated in magnitude, his tongue pulling hers into a battle of which there was no loser – When his hands decided that idleness was not for them, and started to map down her back and chest, was when Violet's knees gave up and she had to recline entirely on her lover.

It lasted for what felt like an eternity, the urgency of making contact simmering down into a slow boil, left over embers prickling under her skin, and labored breaths against his neck had her gulping in his scent as if it was going out of style.

'…'

"W-was that a yes?" She asked cheekily, basking in their magic as it entwined in a silvery halo – result of black and white meeting and mixing harmoniously.

"You, my sweet Violet, are fond of making our courtship work the other way around… I should be the one asking the important questions, no?"

"No" She agreed, nodding with a bright, satisfied smile. "Oh… I almost forgot… at what time will you be picking me up from the fair?" Because she most certainly still intended to visit it today… Clow was above scowling, even if it was playfully, so he settled for a half, fond smile.

"There is no winning with you, is there?"

"You're learning" Violet told him mercilessly.

XxxxxXxxxxX

He felt the drainage keenly. His powers, vast as they may be, were sometimes cumbersome when counted on for instant travel. Replacing the gap he's left behind caused _waves_ that although not in the physical plane, could still rear with terrible consequences.

Then he had to compensate for Violet. _'And though she has no awareness, or at least has not accepted consciously, her powers measure with mine… they have to, if we are to keep each other balanced'_ The circle lit up under their feet, Violet's small, dainty hand holding onto his own as Wang waved from the foyer. His witch waved back cheerfully, lighting up the very room with her smile.

' _Her smiles are beautiful when they come from her heart'_ the sorcerer wondered distracted...He admitted to looking forward seeing the gleeful pleasure written all over her face – the witch was looking forward going home, and though he wished the reason for her happiness wasn't so… flimsy.

Violet has come to a decision, one he wholeheartedly agreed on - But she didn't know what it would _cost her_. It wasn't even her fault; he hasn't explained everything to her yet. _'I have to… as soon as possible… she is not going to be happy if I keep things hidden from her for much longer'_

The grievances she's had in the past have burned scars all over – they pulsed hideously, whispering suspicion and insecurities in her ear. And it isn't even a matter of Violet being ready.

' _It is about this very sorcerer's own fears getting in the way'_

"Hold on tight" Clow told his precious one, relishing in the heat of her skin against his. Physical contact was almost a _need_ as their bond settled, secure that they'd not be separated on their own accord. The transportation spell ignited the circle, and it expended upwards, enveloping him just as the last remains of his power drained out of him and into the ether, so it could be poured back into him when they reached the corresponding circle in England.

"Welcome home" John Evington was there to receive the sorcerer and his witch, along with the rest of the house's staff. _'I missed this house'_ Clow wondered briefly why, but came to the amusing conclusion that he did, indeed, enjoy teaching.

Fact cemented when his little students felt his presence back, and came swarming like bees upon honey from whatever nooks they were previously. The smarter ones paid attention to the servants' movements, and were already in the foyer – though not allowed near the area by a preemptive barrier – the risk of one of them messing with the circle was too great.

' _Not when I am so vulnerable'_ Clow smiled inwardly. His hand was squeezed by Violet.

He looked down his side, where she was standing, and she lifted an inquiring eyebrow. _'Oh yes, impatient Violet… doesn't want to stand in the center of attention'_ He thought fondly, nodding to her and starting on a path to his personal area of the manor.

' _I'm sorry to say that hiding won't deter Miss Dubois forever, and it seems Xiao Ling is determined…'_ Though Violet could deal with the females on her own, it didn't stop him from worrying.

Time to see how things will develop… it was equal parts frustrating and amusing…

…

Extra: I'm not happy with this chapter… it took a lot, and I mean a _lot_ of consideration… at first, I wanted to have Violet chose to leave Clow and return home – but that'd mean angst, and this was intended to be a somewhat (corny) optimistic romance cause frankly, if we want to read angst all we have to do is read the newspaper… but don't worry, angst will _still_ make an appearance. There's the third Arc yet to come in 2 chapters :)


	21. Part XIX

The Crow  
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)  
(Part 19)

XxxxxXxxxxX

Things returned to normal the very next day.

Violet took the chance to rest as soon as she arrived in her room, letting Katya know that she was not to be bothered until dinner – a time the witch valued since it was spent with Clow, a daily routine that helped center her, give a sense of stability – The maid acquiesced, leaving the green eyed girl alone to sleep the excitement of her travels away.

A lot more rested and bright eyed, Violet started the Monday with a smart smile – Anxious to have a wand again, and looking forward to the crafting process. Not having a tool with which to channel magic was intimidating, and it wasn't for Clow's lack of trying to find her a suitable tool.

XxxxxXxxxxX

 _In Beijing, a few days ago._

The tall, arched roof stretched, looming and taunt over the large sparse room. An armory, if the vast quantity of weapons of all kinds were any indication – From swords, axes, spears, hammers to various types of projectile weaponry.

Used to seeing such a collection in display at the hallways of Hogwarts, the witch wasn't as deterred as she thought she'd be – contrary to what most would believe, the Enclaves used to value the power of the sword. Mage-Knights joined crusades, swore fealty to muggle kings and marched into wars alongside their magic-less counterparts.

Godric Gryffindor himself used to be a knight, and the suits of armors scattered around the castle belonged to his unit when they chose to stay in Hogwarts with him. Loyal knights protecting their captain's castle and his students to the end…

' _Witch burnings only came with the inquisition… the Catholics weren't happy that the pagan people wouldn't switch religions… but no witch can be hurt by fire, there are multiple ways of preventing dying a fiery death, most common accidental magic suffices. The ones who suffered the most were the muggles, at least the ones not affiliated to a family or clan at the time'_

Violet remembered the passages from Hogwarts a History, fondly thinking of Hermione who swore by that book once upon a time. Thinking about Gryffindor and his escapades, made the witch think about another founder.

' _Also… funny that almost all pure-bloods would believe Salazar Slytherin's hatred of muggles as gospel truth… at that time, there was_ _ **no**_ _way to actually know with acuity muggleborns from wizards' bastard born children – plus, since not many had the financial power to send their children to a magical school, low as the tuition was, only the richer families could afford formal education unless chosen by a master. Slytherin was against teaching the barbarian invaders, who sieged Hogwarts at least twice before 1015, five years after the castle was built'_ At least that's what Hermione was able to pierce together – their traipsing through the Isles horcrux hunting was boring enough at low times, and the bushy haired witch needed something to do.

The witch was wrenched from her thoughts by a wandering hand cupping her jaw lovingly, a caress that made her back arch into the touch and her eyes close in bliss as a long dexterous fingers played havoc to the nerves behind her ear.

"What are you thinking about that has you so absorbed?" Clow asked bemusedly, removing his hand once he was done distracting Violet. The witch glared at the amused sorcerer.

"That's not fair. You can't tease a witch and expect her cooperation" She let him know, summoning a mighty frown to hide her glee at being flirted with. It didn't work very well, but Clow didn't comment on it. _'Don't grin Violet…'_ Her traitorous lips threatened to pull up.

"Oh no? And how does one go about gaining a witch's concurrence?" The sorcerer asked with such tremendous seriousness that half fooled Violet for a moment before she noticed the glint in his eyes.

Heat traveled down her spine, playfulness became dangerous and the witch relished the feeling. Her mouth curled into a positively coy smile, an expression of femininity that she's never tried before ' _I hope I don't look silly!'_

"I guess the witch would be a lot more favorable if she had a…" The words dried in her mouth, embarrassment winning for a moment as she hesitated. Sweetness spread in a burst in her chest when her sorcerer gathered her in his arms, green meeting dark, silvery blue.

"If she had a…?" He prompted.

Air strangled in her throat, Violet's cheeks couldn't become redder. So she did what she planned beforehand and conquered the gap between them, stealing from him a kiss that could have melted the poles.

"…a Wand" The flustered witch finished, separating their faces and smiling lightly. _'I did it! I flirted and teased! It felt nice'_ Another insecurity proven useless.

Clow chuckled warmly, the sound never failing to make her knees weak. His devious hand pinched her sides, drawing a startled squeal out of her… and a burst of magic that shook the multitude of weaponry, provoking a cacophony of metallic sounds.

As soon as the sounds stopped echoing and their conspiring chuckles died down, Clow took Violet's hand, pulling her to a section of the Armory obviously dedicated to magical tools.

"These look like the ones in Cambridge" Violet noticed, remembering the collection of items she's scavenged through in the house back in England. "None of them worked" she pointed out dryly, not willing to go through the disappointment of not finding a valid conduit for her magic.

"They wouldn't" Clow agreed with amusement that chaffed slightly at the witch's temper. It was _her_ skills that were being limited by a lack of _focus_. He had his staff, the insufferable git. "You overload them, my dear" the sorcerer let Violet know, noticing how her mood was becoming unstable.

' _What is a witch without a wand?'_ More of a mentality at this point, since Violet could do some magic without the focus – though limited to brute magic manipulation rather than spells, most of the time she's been exercising control. _'But a good focus amplifies the magic and reduce spells cost…sadly just like back in the old world, a wand choses the wizard most compatible with it'_

The witch sighed, picking up a few objects that would have worked as conduits – some staffs, staves, wands, rings, gems, gloves and in a notable case, a _grimoire_. All rejected her magic, refusing to cooperate.

" _The only solution is creating something from scratch"_ After all that was right.

XxxxxXxxxxX

Slipping out of her memories, Violet got ready for the day.

She's asked Katya for a bath, mainly to start the week back in England fresh and clean. The dress she's picked up unconsciously sported half of Clow's colors – gold and blue – and arranged her hair in a simple ponytail.

The western wing, which housed only the sorcerer and the witch, was predictably empty, so Violet made through the path to the library unmolested by curious students.

Arriving at the tall double doors of the library however, the green eyed young woman had to pause… A sense of dread pooled in her stomach, at the same time a familiar excitement bubbled under her skin. _'There're people in the already'_ She noticed, cringing as an ugly urge to eavesdrop overcame her good senses.

' _Sneaking around and eavesdropping on conversations used to be the only way I could gain useful information…'_ Not any more though. _'I thought I was above it now!'_

Violet tiptoed to the entranceway and peeked through the crack of the doors. _'Oh… now the urge is explained…'_ Magic swirled around her, as annoyance built at what she was seeing.

…

Clow was sitting on his claimed chair in the library, a book sitting on his lap and glasses almost slipping from his nose from his bent head. Long raven colored hair framed his face nicely, painting a picture Violet was intimate to, having witnessed it a lot these last weeks.

Suddenly, the sorcerer straightened, adjusting his glasses back into place and closing his book, eyes flashing quickly with shallow vexation.

' _Someone has entered uninvited'_

There were two large rooms used to house book in this house. A large, studious room in the first floor, with a fireplace for the wintry months and an enviable collection of literature, ranging from magical subjects to scientific ones… It was the library he's delegated to his students, since the usefulness of the books did _not_ supersede their rarity.

This was his personal library, where he housed the rarer tomes and scrolls he's acquired over the years, along with his parents' personal collections. Located next to his office, all his students and staff should have known better than to come without his implicit permission.

' _It is for their own safety… knowledge is dangerous and some of these books carry the threat quite literally'_

"Teacher… Clow" Ah… the voice explains the daring. If there's someone who's immune to his house's defenses it was _her._ She who shared his blood and origins might be forewarned against some, but not even close to _all_ of his tricks.

Clow smiled congenially, hiding that spark of irritation. "Miss Li" He greeted politely. "What can I do for you?" The young woman stepped out of the shadowy doorway, showing her full appearance.

Full painted lips, red and gleaming like ripe fruit. Her dark eyes framed by beautifully done make-up. Neck, ears and hair illuminated by expensive jewels, and she was wearing one of the Li clan's traditional garbs, something his mother was fond of. _'Oh… now I see'_ the sorcerer's lips thinned in thought.

"Call me by my name, Clow" Xiao Ling asked, with her voice low and alluring. The sorcerer had to admit, if only for a moment, that Xiao Ling Li was a beautiful woman that would have made his heart warmer – _before_ he met Violet. "We are family after all"

She made her way slowly, the sorcerer rose to greet her as was the gentlemanly thing to do. "You haven't come here to ask me to call you by your name" He pushed, eyeing her shrewdly. He knew where this was going.

"No… you're right. Clow… My grandfather has sent you a contract, have you answered it yet?" Xiao Ling prompted, making herself smaller and lovelier through actions and magic.

He could see the glamours though, covering and hiding scars, calluses and bruises. _'She makes a gorgeous witch warrior, why would she want to hide that?'_

"No" Clow let her know "I have not agreed to my nephew's proposition" Which went along the lines of _wed Xiao Ling of the Li clan and come back to us with all your power, magic and money_.

Not that they aren't rich or powerful on their own, but as an implied rule magical families hoarded magic and strived to be above all competition.

Xiao Ling winced at his choice of words as he knew she would, but then she regained her courage, meeting his eyes with her own. "I have grown up groomed to be your bride. I have been trained by the best of the Li clan, educated in various arts, I am literate and powerful. I am the best the Li clan has to offer, and I am being offered to you and I won't hear that you won't have me"

Echoes of decisions descended on him – paths unfurled before his eyes as those paths branched off and _grew_ , the future melting like snow in spring.

…

" _Don't go Clow, please! Don't leave me! I love you!" But he's been far too gone to even listen to her, so he just faded._

 _Wide terrified eyes watched him as he worked his powers. She detested them, hated that she couldn't control him – he felt grief that she was unhappy, but his powers were part of him and he wouldn't, couldn't give them up for just anyone, and she doesn't exist yet._

…

' _The future I have envisioned for so long, within my grasp, and all I have to do is forsake my gift… I don't think my witch will take likely to being replaced'_ Even now, as his bond with Xiao Ling threatened to expound beyond that of teacher/student and into something else, his bond with Violet, thick and healthy, was lighting up a storm of protests.

' _She's close'_ Clow noticed, following their bond to the library's door and seeing a flash of green from between cracks. _'Crafty woman, I can feel your anticipation from here'_

"Perhaps not, but as closed as your ears are, my lips don't share their opinion. Miss Li, family we might share, but family we are _not_. I have no fault in your upbringing, so take your grievances upon those who do" Clow told her, Xiao Ling's jaw clenched, her magic swirling out of control.

"I can give you everything" The young Chinese woman promised "I can give you children, love, a _future_. I can make us a family of our own"

"I already have all I want" His voice dropped into a gentler tone. "Forget this senseless conversation, child, and leave this be"

"Why?" Xiao Ling trembled. "Why won't you have me?" She half demanded through closed lips. Anger and desperation clouding her judgment.

"Just go" Clow told her one last time, she listened, and with her head held high, escaped the library after blasting open the doors and starting the little eavesdropper. Xiao Ling shot a venomous glare down at Violet's surprised form, and then was down the corridor stomping her way out. "Violet" The sorcerer called somberly.

"I'm sorry" The witch hurried to say, shame written all over her face. "I didn't mean to listen in or anything, it's just, I was on my way to find you and then I find you here and you were already talking with Xiao Ling, I didn't want to interrupt so I thought to go away and wait but-" Her unfortunate propensity for babbling when nervous caught up, and Clow had to hold up a finger against her lips.

"Something in you was writhing in protest?" the sorcerer finished for her, already understanding what was going on. Violet was protective and jealous of what was _hers_ , so was her magic.

"Yeah… I know you wouldn't… agree with her proposition" the witch agreed. "I'm really sorry for eavesdropping on you though" Clow could feel there was something _else_ , an old scar that was prickling at his other half.

"What is really bothering you?" Clow inquired delicately, extending a hand to her hair as a form of comfort for them both.

"It's not a really good story"

"If it's part of you, it doesn't matter"

XxxxXxxxX

Why, why, why did she think a direct approach was a good idea? It was what Xiao Ling was used to. She's not one to go for an indirect rout, planning and plotting wasn't for her – she knew what she wanted and went for it, bulldozing everything in her path.

' _But Clow was not moved, not a single bit, not even when I dressed like this…'_

The young woman walked briskly down the corridors, evading other students so they wouldn't see and comment on her suspiciously bright eyes. _'I'm not crying…'_ She bit her lips, the pain helping alleviate some of the frustration she was feeling… The cherry trees, she thought, would make a lovely job of obscuring her for a while.

"Oi! What bit you?" Xiao Ling heard the annoying voice of that blond little bint. Charlotte Dubois was the third daughter of an influential French magical family that specialized in _miracles_ of all things. As a battle mage, Xiao Ling didn't value much the Dubois family's craft, though Charlotte was a very poor example of what they were capable of.

Anton Dubois, the heir and elder son of the duke of Desdré, was a genius doctor, who was on his way to revolutionizing the area of magical healing – his methods were veritable miracles, thaumaturgy at its best, as Anton came as close to reversing death as one in his area could. Unfortunately, the elder son fell in love with a mundane woman, and fell out the communities around a decade ago after being disinherited.

Amelie, the elder daughter, like her mother, could command fields of crops to rise from ashes, revive whole forests and revitalize animals. Amelie's craft allowed her to transmute materials into food, an alchemic field which many considered useless – when they rather have _gold_ , not flour. She was picked as heir after Anton left, and was engaged to a second cousin who didn't have a tittle of his own.

Then there was Charlotte. The Dubois family's black sheep – aside from her older brother – she could have been of use to her family as a second daughter, but her meager magical talents made her a terrible prospect as bride.

' _She will end up being given to another of her cousins, just so the shame can't leave the family'_ Xiao Ling thought coldly, as she opened her mouth to respond to said blonde.

"Miss Dubois, uncouth as always" Her voice didn't come out tremulous or watery, for that she was thankful. "Now, if you'll excuse me"

"I don't" Charlotte blocked her path. "I know what you just did! Don't you know that Teacher _likes_ Violet?" The thaumaturgy mage taunted prickly. Anger exploded in Xiao Ling's face, her flinty eyes glaring daggers at the other woman.

"It's none of your business, Dubois" The Chinese woman snapped, forcing her way through the blonde who wasn't as sturdy as she was. Charlotte stumbled into a wall, watching Xiao Ling's back.

"I know a way we can both get what we want!" She called after the Li's retreating back.

A dangerous expression took over Xiao Ling Li's face as she turned to glower at Charlotte. "I don't know what you want, nor do I care, but I will not be pulled into any harebrained plan against Miss Potter… If what you say is true and Teacher favors her, it won't be me who will face his wrath should anything happen to her"

With those last words, she stalked out the manor to the gardens, where the beautiful and calming cherry trees did a wonderful job mellowing her mood.

…

TBC~


	22. part XX

We start the third and last Arc now :)

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 20)

XxxxxXxxxxX

…

Settling in the library was routine. Sharing a chair, however, only became the norm recently. There was something forbiddingly pleasing about snuggling up to her sorcerer and share his body heat.

 _'Forget the oncoming summer… talking about summer, my birthday is coming soon'_ Violet thought absently, twirling a lock of hair between her finger tips – by the coarser and thicker strands, she'd have to say it was her own without looking at it.

Well, she was actually stalling. And trying to avoid Clow's eyes at the same time... A hard task indeed when the only thing said sorcerer had to do to gain an audience with Violet was turn her around.

A corner of his lips lifted up in a small content smile – the witch found herself returning the small gesture automatically. _'I've been smiling more these days'_ She's noticed, wincing inwardly at the mess she was when she first came to this world. A selfish part of her wished to throw everything to the wind and just _stay_ , never return to her world and never worry about it again.

 _'But I can't do that…'_ Because she'd always wonder what happened that fateful day. Some days, her imagination ran wild coming up with possible outcomes… Best case scenario, everyone she loved lived and Voldemort was down – she's hoping for this one personally…

Had she been a little physics inclined, Violet would also wonder if that is how Schrodinger felt about his cat – since she's _not_ , the witch just wanted to go back and see for herself what the fallout was.

Her waist tingled. A finger wiggled above the fabric of her dress, pressing and caressing at a _very_ unlucky spot. The witch couldn't help squirming, a gasp and a squeak leaving her throat at the same time _'Is he tickling me?'_ Her thoughts halted, and Violet managed to tilt her torso out of the range of his gripping hands almost throwing herself off his lap.

"Careful, my dear" Her sorcerer's grin widened, as amusement made his eye shine. "Now what has you so thoughtful?"

 _'No more stalling now…'_ But just in case… "Are you really sure you want me to talk about this?" Her cheeks reddened, green eyes half closing as Violet hesitated.

"Only if you don't feel comfortable... There is no need to force yourself now if you're not ready yet" Clow seemingly read her mind and offered a way out – it only made the witch feel guiltier…

Not only was she spying on him, but now she was about to make things about _her_. "It's not about being ready or not... It's just… a little embarrassing!" The green eyed young woman fessed up, resisting the urge to hide her face like a child. Instead, Violet mastered her red cheeks and straightened, leaning back so she could face the sorcerer.

"Violet... The last thing I will do is judge you. I might advise you, I might find myself amused or I might not like what I hear, but never think ill of you" He said, and seeing she was not convinced, Clow swept forward and stole a kiss. Liking that distraction, the witch lifted an arm so she could brace against Clow's neck.

"Oh..." She breathed out breezily, lips forming a flirty pout as she tapped into them with the tips of a finger. "That's a very convincing argument" She saw what he was doing…

 _'Clear as day… he's distracting me from my embarrassment. Thank you'_ The witch focused on all the warm, bubbly feelings welling in her belly, and sent them over to her sorcerer, picturing their bond in her mind's eye and smiling in satisfaction when a foreign wave of _warmth_ crashed into her being.

Clow caught her face with a hand, bringing their noses so close they shared a breath "I am not done making my point" he told Violet, capturing her mouth in a kiss so deep her toes positively curled – a breathlessness and a strange desperation for _something_ lit in the witch, a need for closeness so great she wanted to feel his skin all over hers.

"Approved, oh, very valid, I think I've been convinced, though there are still lingering doubts" She flirted back, adoring the love and attention she was receiving. Hands roamed, hers and his, the young woman losing a great deal of inhibition when she knew she could trust her partner. Plus, she _wanted_ it. This burning _love_ promised to make everything _better than amazing_.

They separated briefly due to lack of air, Violet wishing they had a little more privacy – the library was awfully easy to peep in _'Though it adds the thrill of being discovered… Violet, stop being so naughty!'_ Because honestly? Her entire body felt as if it was about to be caught on fire…

And then trust her sorcerer to douse those flames… And not in the way she wanted _'Distraction ran successfully… now I'm not really thinking straight anymore'_

 _'Clow you manipulative git'_ The witch twitched, forgoing her vindictiveness so she could claw her way out of his arms, shooting a very annoyed look at his innocently blinking eyes.

Until his entire demeanor softened… Clow caught Violet's arms with his hands, trailing his palms down until he held her hands. "What's bothering you?" He asked plainly, _love_ shining in his eyes – swallowing thickly, the witch felt her heart give in.

"Hmm... It's really silly now that I think about it, but..." Violet started, trying to not think about her reasons for not wanting to share this. _'It's not private nor a secret… I just feel stupid for thinking about it in the first place'_ "When I saw Miss Li approach you, I couldn't help but remember something similar that happened a couple of years ago" She wasn't betraying her sorcerer was she? Her experience in relationships was dreadfully limited "His name is Remus Lupin, better known as Moony"

Her sorcerer nodded, a spark of recognition flashing through his eyes "Your father's friend"

"Yeah... He taught in Hogwarts during our third year, best teacher we've had for Defense Against the Dark Arts yet. He was also one of the few people who could tell me stories of my parents, and during that year I... Kind of fell in love with him" There. She's said it… However, her sorcerer didn't even twitch "I never believed I had a chance despite hoping, you see? But one afternoon I witnessed a scene just like you and Li. Tonks is a really good person... She's clumsy but brave and funny, and she doesn't mind that Remus is a werewolf... I saw them together and it dawned on me that I never really had any chance at all. Just now, I was thinking that this time I'd not give you up so easily, though I don't want to come off as a jealous woman"

And as her insecurities came pouring out of her, Violet realized what her problem was… _'I'm a horribly jealous and possessive woman'_ this revelation did nothing for her frayed nerves.

Her sorcerer squeezed her hand, a commiserating expression on his face as feelings of amusement and a faint line of _worry_ spilled from his side of the bond – the sheer contrast between what she could peripherally feel from him and what she was currently feeling made making the difference _easy_.

Violet understood his amusement when he finally said something. "Your first love is a werewolf..." Clow teased, smiling brightly in response to her grumpy glare. _'Is that all he could make of everything I just said?!'_ Disbelief curled in her chest until the witch rationalized his intentions. _'No… it's not that he didn't listen… but that Remus is a werewolf is the only thing that matters'_

 _'Is it because he thinks what I said was stupid?'_ No… the sorcerer's eyes were silvery blue, intensely serious despite his jest – and Violet understood the conveyed feeling. _'Time to leave the past behind'_

Lighter, she smiled brightly back "Actually... He was a teacher in my primary school when I was eight. Remus was at thirteen"

"You have very peculiar taste in men" Clow pointed out rather unnecessarily. A married teacher, a werewolf teacher and now a tercentenary teacher… Her track record wasn't the best, was it? "Violet, I don't mind a jealous woman because I am a jealous man" He told her solemnly, smile turning into a wicked little smirk. "I want to drive into you that as long as I can choose, we will stay together for a _very_ long time"

A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine. She could live with _that_ if he could.

 _'Since we're back on to business…'_

"Now how about we go do something about your wand?" Violet completely ignored her sorcerer's put out expression.

...

The witch decided she'd try this on her own, testing the limits of her powers in this way was thrilling.

Wind blew through the cracks between windows panes. The candle's fire flickered, twisting and dancing, bending but not extinguishing. The gloom of the room perpetuated through the shadows cast by the fire, creating phantasmagorical puppets against the walls.

In the middle of the room was Violet.

The young woman's hair seemed to shine like blood as she bent over a circle, drawing runes and glyphs as she did, constructing the magic. Hands white from the chalk she was using, the witch hesitated in wiping the sweat from her forehead, lest a white streak be left on her skin – again – a cheek and an eye were already sporting chalk marks.

' _Who knew this could take this much effort?'_ Violet thought tiredly. Her back and thighs hurt from the bent position, and her arms were getting tired.

' _But I want my wand, a wand I'm making myself'_ made everything worth it.

It took two and a half days for Clow to finish studying the receipt they got from his contact, with Violet watching over his shoulder the whole time so she could be familiar with the process herself.

The basic lied over an alchemic transmutation circle, where the chosen materials would be converted into the conduit – shape depended on the caster's will – it is important to pick magically malleable materials, things like plastic or other industry derivates were out of question. The caster then has to input their wishes upon the creation, using the pre-existing circle to guide their enchantments upon the new conduit.

In Violet's case, a wand, since it's what she was most used with. And since she'd be inputting her will and magic on the circle, the resulting conduit would be most compatible with _her_ – unlike Clow's mismatched collection.

"Ugh… my back" Violet groaned to the room, voice swallowed by the whistling wind. She had copied the circle in a lose scroll beforehand as a cheat sheet, and was using that as a crutch.

' _Two days is not enough to memorize all these lines…'_ Though Clow said that more experienced magicians could imprint entire circles in their memories and conjure them instantly… The witch is not one of them – her experience in sorcery is two months old, tops.

But the circle was coming along, under Violet's steady, though tired hand. A couple more minutes and she was doing the last touches, tired, the green eyed young woman sat at the edge of her circle, checking on her cheat sheet to see if her drawing was correct.

Eager eyes traced over each line, making sure there was not a single mistake. There wasn't.

Now the materials she's chosen as base were to be put in the center of the circle. Holly wood and a phoenix feather - although different from the ones back home, this world's version of phoenixes resembled red and yellow peacocks more than anything – at least they still existed here…

A grin lit up the witch's face as satisfaction coursed through her blood. Her heart was pumping rapidly. Concentrating on the spell to activate the circle was a little hard, being one to learn through a hands on approach, Violet thought she wouldn't have trouble, and indeed not.

Words blurred out of her lips in a language long forgotten – having memorized _that_ at least, the witch was confident that she could do it – having thus dismissed the help from Clow. _'I can do this on my own'_

The string of weird syllables continued for a minute as the witch chanted calmly, slowly as to not stumble over some of the more complicated sounds. As she chanted, the green eyed young woman willed her magic into action, imagining the shape of her desired wand.

Magic ignited, the lines drawn became iridescent and light spilled from them, glyphs floated off her spell and started to spin around the materials, joining them and helping the witch mold them to her liking. A thin cylinder, with holly engravings, feminine and sleek with an indomitable fire core that would fit nicely at the palm of her hand…

When everything calmed down, Violet was hunched over, breathless and trembling from exhaustion.

Clutched in her hands was a brand new wand, created from her efforts and magic, and pulsing eagerly in tandem with her heart.

…

"On your first time practicing advanced sorcery and you manage to create a focus" Clow told a satisfied Violet in the next morning. He looked proud of her, prompting a large smile from the witch – who lifted up her brand new wand for the sorcerer's inspection. "It's beautiful… the wood and core resonate with your magic perfectly, it should be able to handle the stress of your powers"

"Yeah… it feels good to have the weight of a wand in my hand again… I felt vulnerable without one" Violet admitted, yawned, then proceeded to look sheepish. "I forgot to erase the circle last night…"

"I erased it… you fainted from exhaustion" The sorcerer let her know how displeased he was with her carelessness by pulling lightly on the ends of her hair.

Stung, the witch scowled at Clow. _'Way to make a witch feel bad…'_

"I was knackered beyond belief! Just spent the day drawing that humongous thing, then had to bleed out a large amount of magic in one go… anyone would be too exhausted to even think straight, never mind erasing the circle!" She protested.

The sorcerer sighed, tugging on her hair again. "It's not about erasing anything… it's about how vulnerable you were, drained of your magic. What if someone else beside me entered the ritual room?"

"Oh…" The witch exhaled, understanding his point. "You were worried" she stated, eyeing Clow through hooded eyes. _'Even though he worried, he didn't interfere until I was done… though I'm sure he'd have done something should things gone haywire'_

"We can work on your control next, Violet… as I said; it is impressive that you even managed to power such a powerful ritual. Though brute force has limits, you must improve finesse" The sorcerer lectured, entering teacher mode. Feeling like she had to wrench him out of it, the witch stood from her seat in his office, and made use of an alternative seat.

His lap again.

' _Well, how comfortable…'_

"I'm still feeling tired" the witch told him, getting comfortable. "Lecture later"

' _I'm getting better at this'_ Violet thought, losing shame around her sorcerer was becoming natural _'He likes when I give in to my silly urges anyway…'_

Chuckling under his breath, Clow nodded against her tucked in head, wrapping an arm around her back to keep her steady, and using the other to pick up a book.

"Very well" He murmured, but Violet was already dozing off, leeching off his warmth and magic to replenish her own – no wonder she was still so tired.

A dark shape moved quickly from the door left ajar.

XxxxxxXxxxxxX

The sound of cutting air filled the room. A glint of light caught the end of the swinging sword, as beads of sweat dripped down the man's face.

Eduardo de Parole was training, hard, trying to make sense of what he's just witnessed. No… he understood what he saw. _Knew_ it was coming. _'It's always like that'_

It wasn't that he disliked the Apprentice personally, though her deceptively subdued personality was deceiving… something told him she was like that for a reason.

He remembers the first time he saw her, laying unmoving in Teacher's arms as he carried her off… _'I could smell the ozone, like she was birthed by the thunderstorm'_

Next time he met her was when she was stepping down the stairs beside Teacher, awkward and shy, uncomfortable with all the attention she was getting. Obviously not a woman of good cradle, though saying she felt _powerful_ was an understatement. She hid behind Clow Reed, eyes sad and a lonely aura painting her ethereal image blue.

"Deceitful snake, that's what she is" He growled under his breath, muscles tensing as he lifted his sword for another practicing slash.

…

" _Alexandro, Eduardo, Fernando, Helena… come my children, meet your foster sister" Father called them all to his office. They went like good children, unknowing the fate that waited them._

 _The creature their father introduced looked as if she was made of the purest gold. Fair colored hair like spun golden wheat glowing under the sun, skin healthily tanned didn't hide the red of her cheeks, and brown eyes glinting ember with inner fire._

" _Who is she?" Alexandro, his eldest brother asked for them all._

" _Your new sister. Her name is Eldora" The girl smiled back at them, shyly, hiding behind her golden bangs. "She's Estela's daughter, born with_ _ **talent**_ _. I agreed to foster her with us to teach her the ways of magic in our house"_

…

Eduardo shook his head, wet bangs clinging stubbornly to his forehead. He's fallen inwardly into an unwanted memory. Although he remembered Estela fondly – she was his and his siblings wet nurse – with her soft caramel curls and mocha colored skin, always smelling of coffee and molasses. He saw her as his surrogate mother once upon a time, since his own mother was distant and superficial.

It wasn't hard to accept Eldora the Golden as their sister. At eleven, another playmate was more than welcome, though the girl shared his brother's age of thirteen – She liked playing dolls with Helena, and was always ready with a basket to help him and Fernando catch wild fruits through their property.

Eldora wasn't particularly talented in their family's magic – a Fire element orientated clan, and wasn't that inclined to pick up a weapon with which to practice with. Father tolerated her. Indulged in her whims even more than he did Helena…

' _I should have known then…'_

It didn't help that as the years passed the Golden one became more beautiful. _'I fell in love with that_ puta _'_ The next slash of his sword was particularly vicious.

…

"Preciosa de Oro _, I have come to love you. You outshine the very sun, your beauty eclipses the stars, and you are my best friend"_

" _Oh_ querido, _come here_ " _And she was in his arms, letting him love her in his adolescent way, fumbling and awkward but so very beautiful._

…

' _A couple of weeks later, I was called to my father's office'_

There she was, sobbing brokenly against father's shoulder. Alexander stood beside them, glaring at him as if he was made of the plague. The gold he so loved in her hair was dull, and her cheeks weren't that lovely shade of red, but an ugly blotch of clogged snot and tears.

…

" _What is going on?" Eduardo asked with dread in his voice. The voices raised as one, both his father and Alexandro yelled almost at the same time._

" _How could you?!" He was only fourteen, whatever did he do to enrage his brother and father like this? Though taking a look at Eldora's pathetically sniffling self made his blood run cold._

" _How could I what?" He demanded, nervously keeping an eye on the woman too._

" _Do this to Eldora!" Alexandro accused, offering a comforting arm to the bawling creature._

" _What did I do?"_

" _Taken advantage of her! Against her will! And now she's fallen pregnant with your child" Father explained coldly. Dread pooled in his stomach… it was too much… he didn't…_

" _I didn't take anything against her will! If anything, she has spread her legs more than willingly!" He let his fiery temper run the best of his mouth, though the burst of wild flaming magic his father let out, slammed Eduardo against the far wall._

" _Keep your mouth shut! You shame me Eduardo. Eldora and Alexander were engaged to be wed, and you've spoiled her now… luckily your brother is willing to accept this blight against him, but you are to be moved away to your mother's estate"_

…

Fury burned in his veins. Conniving, worthless cunts, all of them… His mother's words cemented his hatred.

" _Your father has been fucking that girl since she first stepped there, why do you think I left? And that whore let him have his way docilely, do you wonder why? She wants our power for herself. She will suck our family dry through her cunt, and when she can't anymore she will leave just like the succubus… have you learnt your lesson son? All a first generation magician like sweet Eldora wants is to belong to a powerful clan, and now she's tied by blood…"_

She's used him. Used him then turned his family against him.

Violet Potter was the same. Getting close to Clow Reed just to snatch his power, controlling him through her sex like the little baseborn worm she is. It wasn't his problem though. He cared little for what the Master Sorcerer did or what he chose to warm his bed at night.

But when he looked at Violet, all he saw was Eldora. Ambitious, cunning and poisonous... the urge to wrap his hands around her neck was hard to control.

So he poured all his heated feelings into his sword, slashing at unseen targets until all anger has bled out.

He never saw a small mirror in the corner. It lit up in a miasma cloud, purple and venomous, flashing once with his image before fading out of existence.

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~

Extra notes:  
1) Oh dear... this chapter turned huge! I could have cut things out at those last scenes, but decided to keep them together.  
2) Yes, a wand... She sees herself as a witch, not a sorcerer - and is more familiar with a wand, not a staff.. I'm sorry if it disapointed you, but this has been written for months now so if I change a single detail, I'd have to go through the ending to edit things.  
3) Poor Eddie Word.


	23. Part XXI

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 21)

Sleep eluded him.

Nightmares played behind closed lids, all he saw was gold.

' _Why don't you end things once and for all?'_ An inner voice whispered seductively in his ear. _'No… not my place to act'_ He told himself, but the sweet voice's prompt was stronger.

His body staggered out the bed.

' _Find a weapon. A dagger will do… you want her blood coating it… imagine it tainting that golden hair of hers? Wouldn't it be a glorious vision?'_

No, it wouldn't. Her hair was like copper, not gold. He didn't hate the golden one though, he hated what she did and wanted to extract vengeance. He wanted her to rot alone in the streets, not dead. Death was a release after all.

' _Make her suffer and bleed, it will help me feel better'_ The voice suggested, candied and overpowering.

His hand felt for a dagger in his weapon chest. The metal heated up in his palm.

He didn't know how he knew how to find her. But when he did, entering the room was easy – melting the locks and disengaging the magical traps was hardly a chore for someone like him. Everything he touched turned to ash. _'There she is… stab her, wound her, make her bleed'_

The dark copper colored strands flickered gold. The light peach skin turned tan, and the pale cheeks slack in sleep became a familiar rosy tone.

The dagger was lifted, and then brought down on the woman's unprotected belly.

A split second later, green eyes snapped open and their owner was rolling out the bed just in time to avoid a more dangerous wound – the blade caught her in the ribs, leaving a deep line that started to bleed profusely.

' _I've missed… but the blade is coated in her blood. Its enough'_

"What the bleeding heck!?" Gold turned back to copper. Tan went pack to peach and cheeks paled with blood loss. Magic exploded around her as she reached for a slim object hidden under her pillow. The wand was pointing at his forehead and lighting up in a red color.

' _Need to get out, don't let her spell connect'_

Breathing in, his breath escaped out in a billow of thick smoke. He ran away down the corridor, ignoring the witch's angry calling. After that everything went black.

...

Violet woke with a start, an urgency urging her to _move._

A shadowy figure hovered over her holding a bloodied dagger… _'Wait… Blood?'_ The witch's hand moved to her right side, right under her ribs and dangerously close to a kidney. Her skin was slit smoothly, almost painlessly, though now that she's realized the wound, it flared hotly, pain spreading through her abdomen as warmth pooled around the deep cut.

' _This is bad!'_ Violet thought madly, though at the same time allowing her instincts to take over – instincts that allowed her to move with almost precognitive intuition in battle – which saved her life numerous times.

Her hand reached immediately for her wand, fingers grasping at the wood hidden under her pillow. Magic coursed through her arm and she casted silently _'Expeliarmus'_ Willing the jet of red light to disarm her attacker.

Although her reflexes were quick, the assassin was quicker – he sidestepped her spell and opened his mouth, breathing out a billow of black smoke. Vision successfully impaired, Violet cursed under her breath, pulling up a section of her camisole to cover her nose and mouth.

' _Have to get rid of this! I can't breathe!'_ She had to act now, a second might mean her life if her attacker had some way of navigating through his trap – so acting from memories, the witch directed a blasting curse at the window and then, with a swirling motion of her wand, willed wind to cleanse the air in her room.

Eyes trained on the spot she's last seen the assassin, though her magic pulsed around her acting like a spider's web – it took a couple of moments for the room to be relatively clear of smoke, enough that Violet could see that she was alone.

' _Bloody bastard has escaped!'_ She noticed the opened door and limped toward it, holding her bleeding side with a hand while the other clutched her wand at the ready. _'The lock is completely melted!'_

The witch hesitated to light it up with a _Lumos_ since it would just present an easier target in case the assassin was still around.

' _There is someone coming'_ The witch noticed, preparing a curse and holding it until she had a better shot. It wasn't necessary though.

"Violet!" Clow came from across the corridor, torches igniting in his path and illuminating the witch. Relief made her legs weak, and Violet had to stagger to a nearby wall. She risked a peek at her wound… Cut clean enough that it wouldn't leave a scar, hopefully. "By the sun, my love, what happened?" the sorcerer reached her in quick strides, his face morphing into a dangerous expression.

Exchanging the cold, hard wall for her lover's arms, Violet allowed Clow to fuss over her. "One minute I was sleeping, the next I'm dodging a knife to the gut" She explained, twisting in his grasp so he could have a better look at the wound. "It only grazed my side because I moved just in time…"

The sorcerer's power fluxed, pulsing maliciously with every beat of his heart. Shadows bubbled and stretched, curling like little demented vines around her legs and thighs. The witch relaxed some more, finding her the sorcerer's domain comforting, and his anger on her behalf secure.

"I never saw this coming… I thought you'd be safe here and I failed you. I grew overconfident that no one would dare move while under my roof – I was wrong. Please allow me to rectify this mistake, my dear" Clow told her, voice so low it could have been a rumble of thunder. His eyes were absolutely flinty, tongues of dark fire escaping from under his robes.

Violet didn't blame him. But she was light headed from blood loss, and his hand was massaging her hips, right under the cut. Magic poured under her skin, knitting the wound seamlessly with a thread the color of dusk.

' _Now that's a neat trick… wish I knew more healing spells, the ones I do know would have done nothing in this case – Episkey works on shallow wounds. Vulnera Senentur is for curse damage and there is only so much Reparifors can do to a human body'_ and she was still suffering from blood loss.

The witch blinked, staring at the now smooth skin where she was hurt. "Thanks" then her eyes traveled up to his "Actually… I was expecting something like this to happen sooner or later… my luck sucks"

"Nonetheless, we can't have something like this happen again" The sorcerer didn't _glare_ at her, but he shot her a disapproving glance "Do you have so little expectations?"

If the shoes fit…

Ignoring his _look_ , Violet shrugged, regretting it a moment later when she was hit by vertigo "Well, yeah" the witch sighed "Not that I don't trust you, but conflict seems to follow me. I'm glad I had my wand with me though"

"Violet…" Clow sighed as well, easily lifting the witch in his arms and nestling her inside his robes. His mood was still teetering on the edge, but he was maintaining control for the witch's sake. "You will spend the nights in my quarters until we can uncover who's behind this"

"The lock. It's been melted. The assassin also dismantled all the wards placed on the door" The green eyed young woman pointed out helpfully. Clow nodded, a flash of _something_ obscuring his eyes. Shivers went down the witch's back, though she snuggled closer to his warmth "How did you know I was in trouble anyway?"

"Our bond… the tension on your side woke me up, that's how I knew you needed backup" the sorcerer clarified. "Now to bed with you"

"No, I'm coming with you" She disagreed, already reaching for a robe of her own and broking no argument. Clow sighed.

XxxxxXxxxxX

The terror he went under after feeling his other half under attack was suffocating. He's just went to bed after tiding up his office and then-

 _Looming. A dark shape stood above Violet, a dagger deep in her chest._

He can't see her.

Dammit. Anger swelled in his chest, a mythical wind picking up around him and making his hair and robes flutter.

And then came the feeling of powerlessness. The sorcerer, for all his power, was unable to keep his witch safe. Oh, she did a great job averting the situation, but there _shouldn't_ have been a situation in the first place.

Violet, already looking better but still light headed, squeezed his hand – that's the only thing preventing the sorcerer from going on a rampage.

' _Time to find our little rat'_ Clow thought, a measure of vindictiveness swelling in his aura. The sorcerer would channel his anger into something productive. The manor was _his_ territory, so it was _easy_ to soak the entire property with his powers, creating a sensitive net that was already sending information to the master.

 _His witch's bright light right beside him._

 _Students sleeping._

 _Someone is up studying – they feel peaceful._

 _Someone has been playing with my garden, again._

 _Staff are sleeping._

 _Spell damage in the training room… no… traces of foreign magic being used there._

' _Time to rouse the guardians'_ Clow thought, directing his attention outside.

The garden stirred. Every living thing in the property woke from slumber to serve as nightmarish sentinels.

 _No movement. No one got in or out the house._

Satisfied with his findings so far, the sorcerer went to the likeliest room to contain a clue. The training room was a fairly large space riddled with protection wards on all four walls for added structural strength in case his students decided to go all out. There should be only battle spells traces, but there was an ominous presence that _didn't_ belong.

The witch shifted, coming to his side so she could also look around. Clow had to resist the urge to _hide_ her… she would _not_ appreciate it.

"Oh, look, over there… I don't think that belongs" the witch pointed out to a corner. Violet's eyes were amazingly sharp; the green glinted in the dim light of the room as she surveyed it.

A cold smile graced his lips when he found _it_. A mirror, oozing with maliciousness, almost completely invisible as it used the dark as cover. The sorcerer approached the thing with caution, motioning for his gift to wait by the door. Carefully picking up the object, he brought it close – these things were dangerous, though by the way his magic was bubbling angrily, he'd be hard pressed to suffer damage from the enchanted object.

Violet approached from behind him, and he turned to show her their finding. Her cheeks were already showing color – good, his gift's vitality has improved a little more. "What is it?" She asked curiously, focused interest written all over her expression as a thrill ran through their bond.

' _She's enjoying this…'_ He realized, holding back exasperation at his danger magnet other half. _'She feels safe now, and is confident in our skills, thus she has no reason to fear, and is enjoying the detective work'_ The sorcerer remembered what she's told him of her school life – mysteries after mysteries and a constant need to be attentive.

"Don't stare directly into the mirror" Clow advised, pushing at the enchantment holding the trap together and releasing it.

" _Please, help me!"_ They heard the moment the spells were down.

" _Homenun revelum_ " The witch flickered her wand after finishing the incantation – Clow found out what it did when a flickering ball of light appeared above the mirror. "There's someone in there!"

Clow's eyes narrowed, focusing on the mirror's other side. _'I see… his soul has been sealed in this mirror… it is unlikely that the real assailant is in the manor'_ his heart turned to ice.

"You will tell me everything I need to know as soon as we find your body, Mister Parole" The master sorcerer told the soul locked behind the mirror, voice dripping with a cold fury few could match.

…

"Forgive me Teacher. I was caught unaware and had my will stolen" The fire mage was bowing, eyes and mouth tightly closed. "The spell used my… dislike for your apprentice and overlapped it with my sister-in-law…"

The pair of mages found Eduardo Parole's real body in the man's assigned room, laying on the bed as if asleep – the only thing out of place were the suspicious red stains on the sleeves of his shirt.

Returning the fire mage's will wasn't simple, but to someone with his experience it was _easy_. Violet, who rightfully had an aversion to soul magic, thankfully refrained from commenting.

' _There's no denying… only him could have melted the locks on Violet's door and destroyed the wards. They crumbled like ashes, very telling'_ Now they had to decide what to do… with such a blatant weakness now exposed to whomever was behind this, Eduardo del Parole might be exploited again.

But then again, Clow Reed is not without mercy… And Violet would never let him get away with anything too outrageous. Though she did scowl while muttering "He must _love_ his sister-in-law then…" under her breath, making the sorcerer lift an eyebrow at her. She caught his expression and narrowed her eyes, daring him to comment.

Shaking his head at his precious gift, Clow turned back to the ailing man, tiredly sitting on his bed and avoiding meeting with the sorcerer's eyes.

"While I do not think you hold blame for this slight against my house, it stands that with your hands, you drew blood from my apprentice with the intention of murder" Clow's blue eyes were now swirling silver. Eduardo gulped down his fear and stood straight. He wasn't a little boy anymore, and he did not cower like a coward. "How will you repent?"

The fire mage winced. "I can leave… My mother's estate is rich; I can send reparations to… Miss Potter" He offered, but Clow shook his head, both him and Violet ignoring how the fire mage hesitated before saying her name. _'If he slurs on her in front of me, neither hell nor heaven will be able to hide him'_

"No" It wasn't Clow who said this, but Violet. She was glaring at Eduardo so fiercely her magic billowed from her hair, making it look as if it caught on fire. "You will not run away. I'm the injured party so you won't get to play victim and hide under your mum's skirts"

' _There is a story there'_ Clow noticed, getting a fuzzy image from their bond – a pointy faced, platinum haired boy. _'My father will hear about this!'_ seemed to be the tag Violet pinned to the image. He had to make an effort to detach himself from her memories this time… she's sunk into them, and was inwardly pulling him as well.

The sorcerer touched the witch's arm to bring her back to the present, and took the thread from where she left "Violet is correct" he traded looks with his witch; she nodded shallowly, feeling vindictive.

 _A thread of fate swirled around the young Spanish man, it twirled and curled, dancing wildly and enticingly. Clow extended tendrils of his own powers, calling to it, beckoning – but it wouldn't come over._

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed the witch looking around the young man's room – green eyes racked curiously from the wardrobe to the drawn curtains – until they settled over a closed chest. Violet scooted over there, a distorted sense of _suspiciousness_ moving her every step.

The tips of Eduardo's lips turned down in displeasure. He had to hold himself from actually commenting on the green eyed young woman snooping around his things. _'He is smart and knows he is on thin ice as it is…'_ Clow thought approvingly, also paying closer attention to his witch as she turned back to him, eyes half closed in contemplation.

"What is this?" She asked the fire mage. His eyebrows twitched while he took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to slander the woman in front of her protector.

"My personal weapons' chest" Was the answer she got from gritted teeth. "It is not booby trapped, you can open it" the young man amended hesitantly. Clow's head tilted to the side, nodding toward Violet when she made mention to open said chest.

' _It is not mere curiosity that moves her…'_ And he was proven corrected when the witch next spoke. "Where is dagger? The one you used to try skewering me with?"

The brown haired, olive skinned man stilled, focusing in a point between Violet and Clow as he thought. "I don't know…" Eduardo admitted "I can't remember much after leaving the training room, just quick flashes"

"So the dagger is lost" Clow had to once more get a tight hold on his temper, and this time he could feel his witch also teetering on the edge of anger – She's not amused anymore.

' _It is worse than I thought… whoever is responsible for this is now invisible… and the only one who had that power was… Violet… the dagger used to attack her is missing… they have Violet's blood!'_

"What now?" Said witch asked, her magic shining behind her irises and making them shine from within with an ethereal hue – they looked like dilapidated emeralds – making her frustration very clear.

"Now Mr Parole will let us take a look at his recent memories. Perhaps a mind walker might be able to uncover these lost memories of his" The sorcerer didn't suggest any more than he demanded. Violet, his witch, shot the young man a slightly piteous look.

…

 _She is not fond of Legilimency. Has been on the wrong end of it enough times to be wary. She is not against it, but her mind is particularly weak against the mind arts, ever since Voldemort's horcrux was used to tether her to the madman._

…

Eduardo Parole flinched, as if burned by the very fire he controlled.

"Fine, that is fair" His deep brown eyes that sparked amber with his magic met Clow's dark blue ones, the sorcerer already sinking into the other's head.

…


	24. Part XXII

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 22)

(Continued from part 21)  
 _Eduardo Parole flinched, as if burned by the very fire he controlled. "Fine, that is fair" His deep brown eyes that sparked amber with his magic met Clow's dark blue ones, the sorcerer already sinking into the other's head._

…

…

 _The young man's mind was murky with confusion - perverted by a sense of shame so deep it almost clouded everything else._

 _Clow pushed through the memories with practiced easy, ignoring their calls. He would not intrude upon the other's personal memories – it reminded him too much of Su Yung, and he had to avoid feeling too deeply lest it be imprinted in the foreign mind._

' _The memories of today must not have been processed by his mind yet'_ _The sorcerer thought, knowing how a brain worked was the basis for any form of mind magic. Memories were formed during the day, and the mind catalogued them when one slept. Eduardo has not been deeply asleep, today's events were in the temporary memories hold._

 _So Clow directed his will into that area and started sifting through Eduardo Parole's day._

Woke up, avoided the other annoying students. Broke his fast in the dining hall, intimidating face keeping all the lesser beings from approaching…

 _Nothing interesting there, the master sorcerer skipped the mundane things the fire mage partook on, until a time just a little before noon._

The curly, brown haired Spaniard was standing in front of Teacher's office – he'd been in need of counseling about a particularly tricky elemental schematics for a shield – one that needed copious amounts of calculations that he had no idea where to begin looking, thus going to the sorcerer for information on useful bibliography.

He'd have politely knocked on the door, only it was left already partially open, a single slit between door panes allowing an undeniable view inside said room.

There was Teacher, sitting on his high backed chair, conferring with that Potter girl. Eduardo could feel his eyes widen at the scene. The apprentice was leaning toward Teacher intimately, body language all but screaming _interest_. It raised red flags inside his head.

Propriety demanded he leave, or knock on the door to announce his presence. His stomach knotted, Teacher would _know_ he was eavesdropping, Teacher always _knew things_ before they happened. But curiosity burned brighter, a morbid sort of interest that caused a riot in his emotions. This was a familiar scene, much like a train wreck, he couldn't turn away.

" _On your first time practicing advanced sorcery and you manage to create a focus_ " He heard them speaking, paying more attention to their gestures than to the words themselves. Teacher sounded fond, soft and _caring_.

Potter said something else, it displeased Teacher, yet he chose to chasten her in a playful manner, pulling on a lock of her hair so lightly it mustn't have even hurt – This wasn't a master and his apprentice…

Eduardo remembered his own master, had he committed the gaffe of forgetting to erase a circle when he first learned sorcery, he'd have his hide tanned so bad he wouldn't be able to sit for days. _Everyone has their teaching methods, and Teacher is a patient man._ The young man told himself through the haze of hot anger that began pooling in his belly.

" _I was knackered beyond belief! Just spent the day drawing that humongous thing, then had to bleed out a large amount of magic in one go… anyone would be too exhausted to even think straight, never mind erasing the circle!_ " He heard apprentice Potter talk back and cringed. Uncouth little chit, uneducated and rough, she belonged in a barn not as magician.

And Teacher, once more, let her get away with not even a slap on the wrist.

He coddled her, didn't treat her like an apprentice at all – but an equal – as if she deserved the same standing as him. _Laughable_ … the young man had to resist the bubble of hysterics that threated to burst from his chest, indignation fueling the flames of his fury.

Then, as if the disgusting scene could get worse, _it did._ The little baseless whore threw herself on Teacher, shamelessly seducing him, nuzzling his neck and whispering in his ear. Eduardo's own ear burned, and his breath left out his lungs in sharp sizzling bursts.

 _I've seen enough!_ He thought with his stomach rolling and anger smothering his chest. He had to get this out of his system before he decided to cut her head- No… he couldn't do that…

To the training room, then… and there Eduardo went, pausing by his room to pick up his sword so he could practice a few swings with it – throw a bit of his incendiary temper into the tempered blade and watch as it sliced and burned the air.

He almost bowled over that blonde menace, Dubois, on the way there. She screeched at his back, calling after him with a sneer written on her voice. "What was _that_ , hothead!? What has got your temper on?" He ignored her, insignificant insects like her barely served for breeding – only her familial standing gave her any clout at all.

"Good morning Mr. Parole, would you like help with elemental shie-" The brat Edgar Manson was promptly ignored. The little shit was a good alchemist, child genius and all that. _Bet he thinks he's better than anyone_. And then his annoyance grew. _Is today the idiots' day?_ All he wanted was to rage away, not meet and greet _everyone_ in the fucking manor. "Whatever" The brat tossed over his shoulder, moving to the library.

When he finally managed to get to the training room, it felt like a blessing to let all the heat off.

 _Eduardo might not have noticed, focused as he was in his training, but Clow could see the faint shadowy figure from the corners of the young man's eyes. It darted, almost unseen, and it could easily have been mistaken with a shadow – Eduardo_ _ **was**_ _lighting up in flames, thus casting a lot of shadows. The enchanted mirror sat in a corner, absorbing the fire mage's anger and his soul with it._

' _So he saw us… and thinks Violet is seducing me'_ _Worrying, but more amusing than anything else. However, what was really worrying, was the fact that Eduardo Parole_ noticed _Clow didn't pick him up, Violet's presence muddling his senses. If the fire mage was able to notice, if not draw the correct conclusions, than it was easy to predict that_ someone else _might have come to the same conclusions._

' _There is more'_ _Clow knew, insides twisting with worry at the recent revelation. He's been too blinded, too lax. It would have to seriously change. 'Let us continue…'_

His mind fogged.

Everything felt numb.

Tried sleeping, couldn't.

And then he was trying to sink his dagger into a blond haired woman who lay on Potter's bed. He hated her. _Hate Eldora_. But not enough to kill her – he's never killed before, and did not want to start with his first love.

She woke up in time to twist out of the way of his stab. Panic seized him. Breathing out smoke so he could escape her angry spells – Eldora was horrible with magic, why is she so competent now? It must be Alexandro… Run away… must not get caught… No! That wasn't Eldora! _It is bloody Potter!_ His mind worked feverishly, he had to run away and _hide the dagger._

" _Give it to me" A voice whispered from the darkness…_

 _That's when the memory_ _broke_.

 _The sorcerer had to literally jump back to avoid getting caught in the backlash. Fragmented thoughts scattered through the Spaniard's mind, and it took a lot of effort on Clow's part to contain the damage – he didn't want the young man suffering from permanent memory loss._

 _Feeling pain build up in the mind he was in, the sorcerer decided the case was lost with the destruction of the memory. Though he did manage to collect quite a bit of information…_

' _Whoever this is, has experience in the mind arts'_

…

Clow exited Eduardo Parole's head ignoring the young man's pained wince. Violet, who moved in the past minutes so she could lean against the weapon chest she's been looking at earlier, perked up when she saw the light return to his eyes.

Though it wasn't the witch who asked the question begging to be voiced… the Spanish man plowed through the pain in his head with admirable willpower, and stared fiercely at the sorcerer as he spoke. "Teacher? What is going on? Why is it night? I just woke...up"

' _No memory of today at all…'_ Clow sighed, regretting that he wasn't really able to find anything with substance… on the bright side, the fire mage would not remember what he's witnessed in the sorcerer's office. His private time with Violet was that, _private_. _'There are a copious amount of things I should be weary over… and the list grows with astounding speed'_

"You were caught in a nasty enchantment while training today" The sorcerer started to explain. "Someone used your body to attack Miss Potter, although we've been able to remove the spell, there are certain side effects you will have to deal with"

It was the truth, only not _all._

Clow purposely left out entering the man's head – though Eduardo allowed him to do so, since he lost the pertaining memories, it might be more awkward than useful. Violet didn't say anything, but graciously nodded when toffee colored eyes moved to stare at her, the injured party.

"I… am sorry… apprentice Potter. Allow me to make reparations" It looked as if admitting that physically hurt. The witch hid her annoyance behind a cold smile, pushing away from the chest so she could stand beside Clow – where her place was.

"Not at all. It wasn't your fault; I don't blame you at all. All we wanted was to make sure you were all right after what we've been through" Violet patted her torso, over the place where she's been stabbed. Clow felt a surge of protectiveness swallow him whole, he wanted nothing more than to gather his gift and hide away with her.

' _Damned be the responsible for this plot'_ He mentally cursed, smiling outwardly. "Let us adjourn further conversations to when we are not so tired. Mr. Parole had a tiring day and Violet needs to recover"

"Very well… Thank you, Lord Reed"

XxxxXxxxX

"Would you be averse to making our relationship public?" Clow's question came so suddenly Violet missed a step as they walked through the corridors. Her mind was still spinning from what happened earlier that night. _'Wait… is he serious?'_

A very surprised eyebrow lifted after she regained her footing. "Not really" The witch answered, a little bewildered and wondering from _where_ this is coming from. "I thought you didn't want to expose me or something. Isn't it dangerous if people knew about me? If they saw you with a girlfriend, wouldn't they become curious?" She continued, acutely aware of the dangers she was in.

' _ **They**_ _are the other magicians… I'm the alien in this universe, apparently that's this season's main feature'_ the snide slid off her thoughts, though a surging feeling of excitement bubbled like a fountain in her chest. _'Imagine if Clow was able to openly court me… oh, how romantic'_ her girly side was cooing and doing pirouettes.

"That's not a problem anymore. Come inside my rooms, we should be able to talk without fear of stray ears listening in" Clow told her sincerely, casting a wary gaze at the corridor. Violet knew something must be worrying him beyond the _obvious_ , so she narrowed her eyes at him even as she followed his step.

They reached his quarters in no time at all. The young woman waited until Clow opened the door for her, came in himself and then closed them off with all the protections he could cast – she helped by implementing Hermione's defensive wards.

Satisfied, Violet turned to her sorcerer with a hand perking above her hip "Alright, spill" the witch demanded,

"It is useless to hide you now. There is someone specifically targeting you" Clow answered thoughtfully. The witch nodded, she knew that already! Seeing her impatience growing the sorcerer shook his head in exasperation, but ended up smiling fondly at her impetuousness showing "We don't know if it is because you are my apprentice or…"

Violet sniffed in derision "Or because I came from another world. Anyway this smells like snuffling the competition" She's been on the receiving end of one of those plots before, and had quite a lot of experience at detecting hidden motives _'That means Clow's reasons are…'_ "So you want to publically acknowledge our bond to protect me?"

He voiced a vague sound of agreement "Hiding didn't work. More eyes mean more surveillance, and while it wasn't intended for the occasion, I do have a way to increase our allies"

The witch crossed her arms, pausing only to gawk at Clow's rooms – it was the first time she's seen inside his personal quarters "I will not be coddled" She amended when she sensed his amused frustration at her bullheadedness "I'm not a glass doll"

"I know. But allow this one the peace of mind of knowing you are safe" Oh no he didn't… _'But it worked, didn't it?'_ Violet let her arms uncross and her shoulder relax, shooting the sorcerer she thought too smug for her liking a glare.

"Don't think guilt tripping me will work indefinitely" She let him know, ignoring the pleased fluttering of her heart when all he did was smile innocently at her "What do you have in mind?"

But he didn't answer this time. _'Clow looks thoughtful…'_ He felt like he was making a decision and was ready to follow through with it.

Indeed, instead the sorcerer captured her hand with his own and pulled Violet with him through the dim lit sitting room, and into an adjoined doorway – his bedroom "The hour grows late… I will show you tomorrow, you might be able to help me with them"

That perked her up, even as her heart sped up at stepping inside a man's room… her experience was limited to _boys_ ' man caves, with more dirty socks covering the floor than existing in the drawers.

"Them?" She asked a bit more breathy than she thought she should. His bed was large and inviting, and Violet's mind instantly went south as she imagined things _out of place_. The room faintly smelled like him as well, the scent jealously enveloping her and deliciously teasing her nose.

"Sleep here for the rest of tonight" The sorcerer told her, smiling slightly, amused by her reactions _'I'm not sniffing the air like a pervert, am I?'_ "I will not be able to rest, so you might as well warm my bed" He teased mercilessly.

Her heart skipped a beat. "Clow!" Violet squeaked, listening attentively to his quiet chuckles as he stepped away from the room. Coldness curled in her chest as a protest made itself ready "Stay?" She called out, and felt relief spread through her when her sorcerer returned, a gentle expression on his face and a book in hands. _'Oh… he was just going to…'_ But the satisfaction of having him lying beside her was _nice_.

"Always" He said. Violet remained conscious long enough to clean and repair her clothes, and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillows.

XxxxXxxxX

It started with a little sigh.

Clow turned the page of his book, not really concentrating on the words when suddenly, warm arms were thrown around his chest and a head of dark copper curls drew close to his neck.

Violet sighed again, eyes rolling behind her sleeping lids in a way that indicated dreaming. The sorcerer smiled fondly at his witch, resisting the urge to touch her… at least until a wave of lust so deep and heady crashed into him, making his tight control crack.

Her body curled upwards, seeking the warm contact with his. The witch nuzzled closer, burying her face at the junction between his neck and shoulder. "Clow…" She moaned lowly, and it took a lot of willpower not to let every sensibilities of his go and just-

' _She's asleep'_ The sorcerer told himself, gritting his teeth as another overwhelmingly hot wave of lust overcame Violet's end of the bond _'whatever she's dreaming about, must be good'_

Well, the woman he desired and loved above all else in creation was writhing and moaning his name in his arms. Sleeping, yes, but he could only imagine what sorts of things his dream self was doing to her.

Clow didn't share well, so with a very dangerous smirk, he shifted, bracing one arm against the headboard of his bed, and using the other to pull his witch closer – Her mouth was already half-open and lips were as inviting as ever – hopefully a real stimulating kiss in the waking world would tear her from her dreams and convince her reality was not far away.

Slanting his lips above hers in this position was a little harder than expected, but it did allow him to swallow her gasp – deepening the kiss by sucking her tongue into his mouth and reeling in her taste. There was a domineering tilt to his kiss, demanding and absolute in taking what he wanted.

Violet's muscles spammed as she woke from the Sleeping Beauty treatment. Pleasure rocked through their bond as she finally gained enough wits to return the kiss with a devastatingly greedy need of her own.

Clow leaned back against the headboard, pulling Violet along with him – she went along with his change of position and readily placed her legs embracing each side of his hips, stranding his lap and bringing their centers very frustratingly _close_. No denying he was attracted to her as a woman _now_ , anyway, not when the evidence was reaching out to her.

The witch stilled, eyes widening as a blush spread through her cheeks and disappeared down her sleeping gown. She looked tantalizing, hair knotted and in disarray, lips swollen and well kissed, and the most becoming blush pinking her skin – the flimsy gown she wore did nothing to hide the perking of her nipples as a shiver of pleasure ran down her back. The sorcerer paused along with her, meeting her eyes with his own hooded ones.

"I… I want this" Violet told him boldly, interpreting his pause as hesitation. _'Not when she's concerned'_

"Good" He whispered back, before lunging once more for her lips.

…

TBC~

Yes! Burn with frustration~ hang on the horrible cliffie for dear life.. I feel evil now.. But a dramatic pause was necessary.


	25. Part XXIII

Note: Treat~

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 23)

XxxxXxxxX

…

Hot hands gripped her waist.

She could feel the radiating warmth through the flimsy material of her nightgown, foregoing the sleeping robes on the back of a chair somewhere in Clow's room – the late spring brought with it winds kissing of summer, warm and stifling, and the less constricting clothes she wore to bed the better.

' _Who'd imagine I'd wear this horrible camisole as battle armor?'_ Violet thought dazedly, pleasure cursing through every nerve ending of her body as her sorcerer continued to lavish a worshiping kind of attention to her mouth, guiding her hips into a gentle grind, making sparks fly behind her eyelids.

Who knew she was so damn sensitive _down there_. Her very core throbbed in need, heat pooling between her legs and curling just below her navel. The witch was hyper aware of what was making such delicious pressure against her, and it only her warmer to know she's affecting him as much.

Not knowing how she could be so wanton, Violet abandoned all her insecurities into a locked part of her mind and surrendered to the explosion of feelings.

Her mouth left his so her lips could latch on his neck, previously bracing, feminine hands moved to explore the hard planes of Clow's chest, parting his robes and slipping a hand inside - aching to feel her skin against his. His own hands moved, sliding down her waist, hips and thighs. She shivered in delight when a large, daring hand moved up from beneath her camisole, teasing the band of her knickers and the skin of her lower belly.

"Ohh… I think I like that" Violet gasped, breath coming out in startled pants… Her sorcerer's response was to pull up the thin material covering her body, exposing her lower half and the panties she had transfigured – no more bloomers for this witch.

"And I think I like this" The sorcerer groaned as if in pain, pulling at her underwear demonstrating his point.

Then he proceeded to pull out the now useless night wear, making Violet forget all reasonable thoughts when her breasts were free. Her breasts were modestly small, though perky and shapely after the active life she's led – she had no time to feel embarrassment – the protest she was about to make died in her lips when Clow decided he should worship that part of her body instead.

Both of his perfectly long fingered hands were cupping her chest, applying just the right amount of pressure to count as a squeeze and make her head spin. Soon, the right hand was substituted by an eager pair of lips, and what started with a very weirdly placed kiss turned into burning pleasure.

The witch didn't question why her nipples seemed to suddenly connect to her center, but she did show her appreciation by catching his long hair and wrapping her fingers around thick strands, pulling and tugging accordingly to his movements. Clow groaned low in his throat, apparently liking the slight pain she caused, because he managed to detach himself from her feminine mounds enough to engage her lips once more.

A hand moved to her thigh while the other descended to the underside of her bellybutton, fingers caressing down so torturously slow that the green eyed woman was halfway into grinding against his lap and hand. Her sorcerer leaned up, lifting his knees and parting them so she could sit closer to him in response, using the chance to tease at the coarse hairs at the top of her sex.

Violet's angry moan was swallowed by Clow, though feeling the need to feel his skin, the witch parted his robes all the way, pushing the annoying mount of fabric to the back of his shoulders and crooning victoriously when her sorcerer helpfully shrugged the clothing off.

His chest glistered with sweat, heaving just like hers – she could see the strength of his heart pounding away by the vein jumping in his neck – His nipples stood out against the pale of his skin, and Violet couldn't resist gripping and grappling at his flesh, not having enough of him.

"Clow!" The witch cried out when his fingers finally moved to the apex of her thighs, pads softly dipping into her midst, parting and exploring her. Liquid pleasure had moistened her now completely wet underwear, and consequently his pants – he didn't seem to mind at all, but he did find a knot of nerves she's never thought to use before, and proceeded to put her back on the way to what promised to be her first orgasm.

Violet surged maniacally, moving against the pulsing, hard flesh still caged inside his pants. They met halfway into another burningly devastating kiss, her hips never stopping undulating as his fingers wreaked havoc down her nerves.

This wasn't even sex – there wasn't a physical _bond_ connecting them, but pleasure still surged undiluted between their bond, drawing first Violet and then Clow into insanity as both finally drowned in the electrical, explosive finish.

"Wow…" The witch sagged against her sorcerer, ignoring the sticky mess between their bodies as the proof of their pleasure flowed and mixed.

"Quite" Clow agreed, patting and kissing the crown of her hair, only to rouse her a moment later "We need to clean up first" He half suggested, half commented, not hiding at all his pleased amusement.

"If this feels half as good as sex would, then I won't mind at all" Violet said back, still not feeling coherent enough to think at all – she was almost purring in satisfaction, submersed as she was in his body heat and scent…

"I won't mind either…"

"Then why don't we…?" She asked hopefully, staring up at him with wide eyes, the green blackening as desire ignited again.

Clow, who didn't have a lot of control right now, shook his head slightly, hands moving to pull her up in a sitting position, and following after her. "It would cement our bond and… leave us out of commission for a while" Both sitting, he stared deeply into her eyes, transmitting all he'd like to do with her. Violet just stole a kiss, which escalated in intensity until her nails were scratching teasingly at his back. "You need rest" Clow told her regretfully.

"Ah, fine. But you owe me" The green eyed young woman retorted smugly, separating from her sorcerer was hard, but patting around underneath the pillows for her wand proved easier. " _Tergeo"_ She chanted the cleaning charm on herself and Clow, letting magic do its job and appreciating how her lover shivered with attraction as her magic brushed his.

"Sleep, love" Violet did just that, burrowed in her lover's arms and looking forward to the future.

XxxxXxxxX

Clow left his rooms early in the morning, not managing to sleep a blink after everything that happened – mostly because of a very large distraction cuddling at his side the entire night, and the memory of what they did was good to keep him comforted.

The sorcerer did _not_ want to risk a second time. The sight of his precious one covered in blood made ice travel down his spine and his magic surge like hellish spikes, piercing his skin from underneath and crawling through shadows in a seek and destroy manner.

His whole being shuddered at once as what could have happened became clear – she could have _died_ , taken from him just like that – and he _wanted_ the reassurance that she was still there, still warm and lovely.

' _Time to face the music'_ the sardonic thought made him smile despite himself as he stood in front of his mirror and called upon the traveling witch.

"How is the project going?" He asked his reflection even before hers formed; face set into an easy smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Yuuko's image appeared frowning just like Clow knew it would. _'She's grumpy with me'_ He thought with some amusement, but not even that was enough to derail his line of inquisition.

"Not even a proper greeting this time… aren't we getting impatient lately?" The traveling witch provoked, tilting her head to the side and letting a curtain of black strands to cascade over thin, feminine shoulders.

The sorcerer's expression didn't falter, making Yuuko's eyebrow twitch. "Just answer" He told her, voice void of inflections. _'This will get on her nerves, and she will be wanting to know more'_

"Fine" The witch snapped irritated "The jewels we bought in China are working perfectly. I've managed to synchronize them on the _paths_ , but breaking through this world's boundaries need more than a spell. They change constantly, and it is impossible to plan for an outcome"

' _It would require something capable of making decisions and changing the spell accordingly to the whims of the universe… I've seen this before'_ Clow focused on his prescience, feeling the answer unfurl before his eyes.

…

 _Mokona Modoki. An artificial life form capable of sentience – Not truly alive since it can't reproduce – but when Clow and Yuuko infused the spell with part of themselves, they also imprinted a level of personality and intelligence on the beings… It was able to make decisions for itself, humorously along with quite a few numbers of questionable choices._

 _The scene flashed once. Twice. Then settled back on wearier looking Yuuko, eyes haunted and tired. She was sitting on an ornate ottoman, an almost empty bottle of liquor in one hand while the other embraced Mokona Modoki, who was also happily pertaining of alcohol like there was no tomorrow._

…

Deciding to not think deeper about his old friend's darkened expression in the vision, Clow pushed it to the back of his mind and focused on the problem at hand _'What I saw was the consequence of saving her life… she has a greater purpose and the world will need Watanuki Kimihiro'_

Dropping the thought completely, the sorcerer remembered something important _'Perhaps if I use the same schematics that I've prepared for_ _ **them**_ _…'_

"I do believe I have a solution for that problem" He let Yuuko know, smile shifting into something _more_. "However, I am not willing to trust mirror magic over my personal research"

Not when he was without Violet near – becoming invisible to scriers or diviners was awfully useful when not used against him – as it is, mirror magic, while useful for long distance conversations or transportation magic, can be easily intercepted by a good enough magicians.

Although being able to ward his mirrors physically against interference, he wasn't a master of mirror magic. Not yet anyway. _'It will make a good project one things settle down'_

Yuuko nodded sensibly, she also was a wanderer by nature, so she'd concentrate her studies on transportation crafts. "I understand. Should I come over?"

"Please, do so. I also want to introduce you to someone very dear to me" Clow answered, enjoying the mixture of feelings bubbling inside her with a slight sadistic glee. His old friend was in for a great shock, wasn't she?

XxxxXxxxX

Violet woke up languidly, stretching her limbs as far they could go, and then rolling around on the bed just to luxuriate in his scent left on the sheets and pillows. _'He's gone…'_ The witch noticed with a put upon expression, good mood temporarily vanishing.

Only to lift again when her missing sorcerer wandered back into the rooms holding a tray richly filled with breakfast – though he looked pristine and unruffled, contrary to her tangled mess of hair and sheet printed cheeks.

Clow chuckled lightly when he noticed her appearance, approaching her still sprawled body and placing the breakfast tray on top of the nightstand. "You look beautiful" He assured, making Violet laugh.

"I look horrible!" She exclaimed, sitting up. Her sorcerer shrugged, even the movement looking elegant, the prat. They made small talk as she ate, and after, Violet went back to her room so she could freshen up and change clothes – cringing at the blood stains on her bed. _'Tergeo… there, done… having a wand back feels so good'_ though she was sure Katya would still change the beddings anyway.

…

"So… what is it that you wanted help with?" Violet asked once meeting her sorcerer in his office.

Clow was standing near the bookshelf, staring thoughtfully at the titles. The witch paused at familiar books like the Traveling guides, but otherwise waited patiently for the older man to act.

The raven haired sorcerer lifted a hand toward a tome the witch previously overlooked thinking it was a personal diary of his – it was a red leather bound book, with golden details and a large frame carefully drawn on the cover, as if something was meant to still be put there. At the top of the frame, written in glistening golden ink was _The Clow,_ rightabove a waning moon, and at the lower half was chained sun.

Clow offered the book to Violet, who accepted the almost reverent offer and sat down on her chair so she could study the thick volume. Her sorcerer sat on the other side of the table, stapling his fingers under his chin and following the witch's movements with bound interest.

' _The Clow… this looks and feels like a grimoire, but it isn't one… There is no value as a focus… I don't think I should look at what is inside anyway'_

"I need your help with that" He said, motioning to the book with an indescribable emotion written in his eyes "You can open it" the sorcerer added, correctly guessing Violet's hesitation. The witch blushed, but complied as her curiosity was also getting hard to control.

What met her eyes was nothing short of incredible.

On the very first page was the drawing of a nicely framed rectangle, vaguely the size of a tarot card and reminiscent of the book's cover – only depicted in the middle was a modified version of Clow's house symbol – and crisscrossing between the lines of the symbol, almost invisible to the naked eyes, were a myriad of runes and circuits forming a confusing web of spells Violet could only guess at.

The back of the page contained an even worse tangle of runes. It couldn't be said it was a circle anymore since it was long passed that – All around that same rectangular frame, leaving the middle of it free of any writing.

' _It is as if this space is meant to be hollowed… like those secret compartments or something… Merlin, how complicated!'_

Second page was barely different – only instead of a symbol of power, there was a name at the bottom of the 'card' and the picture of a little girl holding onto a bow and arrow above a purple background. A sun at the top, moon just above the name and twin stars, one on each of the sides… The back proved to be the same as before, only now even the 'card's frame was filled with circuits, around it were a mess of calculations.

"Whoa! What is it? Did you draw all of this? Clow, it's amazing!" Violet told Clow eagerly, eyes blown wide by what she was seeing. _'I might not understand all the math and not recognize a rune or two, but this must have taken him a_ _ **long**_ _time to complete…'_ What she did understand, was that her sorcerer never did anything by halves.

The witch, who was only introduced to sorcery about two months ago, knew enough about it to make a guess at what she was holding.

"Yes they are, aren't they?" Said sorcerer nodded along with a soft, proud smile "The names and descriptions go on the front, behind are all the calculations and detailed circuit" He explained, noticing the green eyed woman's interest in them "They are the result of a lifetime of research"

' _No kidding'_ She wouldn't even ask _if_ they worked – they must "How'd they work?" the witch asked instead, brushing the tip of her fingers carefully on top of the name of the first 'card' and feeling the texture of the ink beneath her skin – it sent tingles down her spine "The Arrow…" Violet said out loud, marveling at the diligent work her lover must have put into this. This book felt _loved_. _'Now I know why it felt like a grimoire…'_

Slipping into teacher mode, Clow started lecturing about his project "Cards, like tarot. There are a total of fifty three of them. Breaking down the theoretical work, the arrays I've worked into the circles should make these a form of flawed self-sustainable spells. When "Awaken" by the powers of a magician, the initial portion of power should circulate inside the circuits until it is canceled or dismissed" Violet nodded her understanding _'A battery'_ she thought, refocusing on the sorcerer's words "A tool that will make practicing magic infinitely easier and more intuitive than academic"

"Like a focus?" The witch asked interestedly, leaning forward slightly to study the runes closer, missing the small smile Clow offered her "Not exactly… each of these is a specific spell or element. They're pre made spells!" she realized on her own, recognizing the runes and specific circuits "The Fly, the Rain, the Big, the Sleep..."

The sorcerer nodded again, showering their bond with feelings of how _proud_ he was of her. Shivering with pleasure, Violet grinned at her lover "Basically yes, they're ready to use spells. No circles, no incantations, no waste of magic"

' _Wait… there is something he said…'_

…

"… _into the circles should make these a form of flawed self-sustainable spells_ …"

…

Violet paused briefly, eyeing the collection of 'cards', each occupying a page. Fifty four total pages. "What do you mean they are flawed?"

"Because once we power them, the circuits must continue to receive magic… If not, then they will dissolve entirely" Clow answered, smile fading and being replaced by a slight frown "There _are_ ways to contour this problem. If sealed, they should become dormant instead of fading"

"What else? What are these for?" The witch asked pointing at the little Sun and Moon symbols that featured both on the cards and throughout the calculations. _'I thought these were just decorations, but there must be more'_

"My ascendants, the Sun and the Moon" The sorcerer replied "Each card will fall under one of the two, it should make distributing power between them easier for the user… Beside these cards, I plan to have guardians watching over them. A guardian for the moon aspect and a guardian for the sun"

Pausing to think about things for a little time, Violet tilted her head curiously, intrigued by the idea of _guardians_ ' _Are they like familiars?'_ she marveled inwardly… then she noticed something "But my ascendant is Mars… you said it once, I think" the witch pointed out slowly, wondering if it would make a difference.

Her sorcerer shook his head.

"It doesn't matter much. The dichotomy of our elements reflects on my ascendants. If you lend me your powers I shall be able to safely convert and use them as my own" Clow said, pausing before he continued as if hesitating for a moment. Violet understood why when what he said next dawned "Before you came, I was going to give them life by myself… the strain would be so great I'd have tapped into my life force, sacrificing _years_ of life for the sake of an experiment, and I'd do it happily"

Her heart squeezed tightly as her breath hitched.

A desperation so deep it caused her physical pain cut through her, and the witch was forced to curl into herself as if to contain it. Guilt marred Clow's face for a single moment, enough for the witch to see it.

"You wouldn't" She shook her head in denial. _'He would'_ Her brain supplied with cold reality.

"I would" The sorcerer contradicted gently, reaching out with a hand to touch hers. Her fingers clung to his as if he'd disappear right then and there "Because an existence like mine is dangerous. You've _seen_ it, perhaps not the full extent of what I am capable of, but _beyond_ that, I used to wake up every morning already knowing everything about my day, so the chance to _weaken_ these powers of mine, to pass them forward, I couldn't miss it"

' _Suddenly, these cards don't seem so wonderful anymore… they feel like a death sentence!'_ Violet thought hysterically, heart stuttering in her chest as if it was about to give up - at least until logic won over emotions and her small panic attack came to an end.

"And then I came" The witch breathed out, pronouncing the words slowly so she could steady herself. Clow seemed inordinately thankful that her dear was controlled, massaging her hands while staring lovingly into her eyes.

"And then you came" He agreed softly.

Something clicked in her mind.

"You can't see _me_ …"

Shaking his head, the sorcerer' smile turned grim "Not this _you_ " He let her know, breathing hard through his nose once as he collected his thoughts "Let me tell you a story"

…

TBC~


	26. Part XXIV

Extra note:  
A little guide for this chapter as follows, valid only for this one…  
Blah blah – Clow's telling a story.  
 _Blah Blah –_ Violet's reactions/feelings/conversations  
Everything between '…' in _italics_ is a flashback.

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 24)

XxxxXxxxX

…

Mother's name was Ying-Huá and born to the Li clan several hundred years ago. She liked to travel and learn, and had a passion for the arts that went beyond magic – When growing up, she'd tell me stories about aborigine tribes living in the new continent, living in harmony with nature… about nomads roaming the deserts from Africa to Middle East, selling their magnificent wares in big open markets throughout Mesopotamia.

During one of her travels through Europe, she met a man who was also interested in travel, and befriended him, learning that the man she met by chance on the road possessed a great deal of untapped magical potential.

 _Clow smiled, a secretive smile that made his eyes lit up. Violet leaned forward, nervousness and eagerness mixing with equal measure inside of her._

Father's name was Simon Reed, and he was a simple man born during the early renaissance period. He was a fish merchant's son, though too young to venture out with his father he stayed at home with his mother. One day strolling down the markets, he helped a hapless foreign woman and befriended her – thus learning how to access his full potential.

Ying-Huá taught Simon magic, though there was only so much she could teach without officially adopting him into the Li clan – something she hesitated to do.

Should her clan learn of her new friend, they would try to absorb him… New blood in old magical lines is always coveted. Stagnation makes the blood weak, so Ying-Huá feared for her friend's freedom through associating with her family.

She still had her pride as a member of the Li clan though, so divulging secrets was out of question.

To teach her friend, Ying-Huá took him on her journey, and decided they should learn together despite their very different styles.

The sorceress favored the sword arts, mixing the mythical with the steel. Simon found himself a scholar once he learned to read, and was an avid collector of knowledge as well as a skilled spell crafter.

 _Seeing her surprised look, Clow elaborated "At that time, it wasn't necessary that a low merchant's son be learned beside basic maths and how to write his name in legible cursive. Writing and reading skills were not necessary for the common folk survival" At the witch's nod, he continued his narrative._

Both magicians worked well together, and after five years of partnership, they finally decided to make their union an official one.

The Li clan was against it – Ying-Huá was the daughter of the clan head, she could do better than a no-name magician – if she wanted to include her lover in the clan, let him, but she would not wed him. So Ying-Huá forgot her pride as a Li and ran cut ties with her family, choosing to stay with her husband insetad.

They lived to half a century together… and although Ying-Huá's decision seemed right at the time, it changed not the fact that she was an heiress to the Li clan – a large and powerful magical family in Asia – which meant that enemies of the clan would then target the estranged Li.

I was born in winter of 1559 during the longest night of the year. Named Kû-lou Reed originally, though my Englishman father would only call me Clow despite mother's protests…

" _Kû-lou?" Violet's lips twitched up despite her feelings of conflict. The sorcerer let out his amusement at her reaction in the form of a chuckle, though a vast sense of seriousness followed after._

" _That's the name written in my birth records, though Anglicanism has turned my name into something else over the years… you are the first person I've met that knows that name" Clow told her, clearing his throat to continue._

The waning moon watched over my birth and gifted me with a keen gift for the darkness as well as my ascendant – Mother was ecstatic, we shared the same element and she'd be able to teach me without restraint of a different affinity… and since I was of her blood, she'd be able to pass on the clan's teachings freely, though it required for my existence to be registered with the Head.

Twenty years later and I was a young magician, confident and powerful and possessed by hubris. I was spoiled by my parents, receiving from them knowledge without experience, and thought myself above others – And truly, very few magicians could match me then, making me a very valuable and uncontrollable asset.

It drove our enemies into action, and one night our home was sieged.

We managed to drive the assassins off, curbing the attack and even turning things on them – father, however, was not a warrior. He was mortally wounded during the confusion… we did everything we could, but the healing arts was not something we paid much attention…

 _Violet doesn't understand losing one's parents after having them for years, but she did offer her sorcerer a compassionate hand squeeze. She could relate with that kind of pain after losing Sirius, though they shared nowhere near the same level of intimacy a parent and their child did._

Before dying, father beckoned me.

Desperate and fearing for mother's sanity, he wanted to leave something of his behind… so driven by his unavoidable death; father gave me his magic – all of it, from his element that was swallowed by mine to the Sun, which now belongs to me.

To take upon another magician's magic as your own is a very grave sin against it. There are always risks, and the worse of all is the loss of your very soul. Luckily, in my case, the magic came willingly from kin and was thrust on me not the other way around.

It was forceful and painful, and I was helpless in the face of such act because I was also taken by grief. As father lay dying in my arms and mother taken by inconsolable sadness, I felt obliged to accept his last request.

After a few days mother changed… she was taken by rage and hatred at father's assassin, and decided to extract her own vengeance upon the ones that took him from her – in the end, she burned herself out instead – I once more felt helpless.

Mostly since I also thirsted for revenge as much as she did, and would encourage her, even join her in madness. I remember the words she said to me that day. They have been burned into me by the misery that followed in their wake.

"Clow… my little baby… I cannot go on much longer, not without my Simon… we belonged together son, halves of a whole, and without him I will be forever incomplete… That's why I wish for you to bear my magic alongside Simon's… we will stay forever inside of you, our son, empowering you from within"

Mother's selfishness perfectly reflected mine.

I didn't understand at the time, young and impulsive… so I accepted what she said, accepted the burden of her powers – which only added to mine – and thought I could use my parents' magic to hunt and finish their murderers – for mother died along with father that night.

Assimilating her powers felt nothing like when I took on father's… I already had the Sun and the Moon watching over me… the increase of my personal magic however changed that sacred relationship.

Instead of watching over me, I gained their very **eyes**.

The sun bears witness to everything during the day, while the moon guards the night – I could then easily reach them. Touch the very stars…

True prescience…

The power to know things before they happen…

I saw it as a gift when it helped me find the assassins and annihilate them. When it helped me find the family which contracted them and also make them pay… I left a trail of destruction behind me that terrified the clans… Relished in their fear and wariness. They should regret what they did to my family, that's what I thought.

I saw it as a gift when nothing was able to surprise me anymore, when I knew for sure that I was the most powerful magician in the world, that nothing could stop me.

And then it wasn't a gift anymore.

I became bored, listless. Everything seemed so mundane and repetitive… I was the most powerful, yes, so what? What could I do with such title? A meaningless existence fated to just… be there…? Seeing through the eyes of the stars is a terrible, terrible gift, and when I realized that, I fell into a deep and self-destructive depression.

 _Comprehension filled Violet with a disastrous sort of awe._

 _Anxiousness took instantly over though. Mostly because_ _ **he can't see her**_ _, as well as_ _ **is that why he wants her?**_ _It hurt, immeasurably so. And at the same time she found herself empathically connected to his plight. She thinks she loves her sorcerer, so she doesn't want him to hurt – but is it alright to be used like this?_

" _I felt into insanity" Her sorcerer told her, as if his words hadn't had that big of an impact on Violet. A tired resignation clung to him tightly, like an ashen colored shroud where there should have been only bright colors. "I-_

-Couldn't distinguish what was right and wrong. Humans became nothing more than walking, talking animals in my eyes, and I realized I could truly ascend as a god amongst sheep – such was the extent of my descent.

Should I walk down that path, I could paint the world with my colors and none would be able to oppose me. But there was still hope buried inside by young bitter self. The powers I started to despise so very much gave me a silver lining, one I only had to grasp to truly see.

So I decided it was better to run, to hide. I sealed myself for nearly a hundred years, settling myself to just dream. Drift the ether by following after the stars, seeing what they saw and acting like they did – just watching, no touching and no interacting.

Trough those dreams I was able to extend my sight beyond what even I thought possible… and even further than what I expected, it also gave me a new hope…

It came in the form of a ten years old girl. Sakura – the girl I saw - was a bright and smart girl, full of love and determination, and through her I was able to realize that I could do _good_ , for the both of us. She was an outlet, an escape goat and a light, all in one.

Little Sakura would become the key to becoming human again – she'd be able to handle my powers and turn then to her own. So I chose to lay myself down on the path that would lead to _her_ , manipulating events as I saw them coming and molding the future so that it would fit what I wanted.

" _The cards are a way to pass your powers over to this girl" Violet interrupted his tale with only a single guilty glance in his direction. Doubt welled in her heart, feeling as if she only had half of the story but already knew the end. "You'd have sacrificed your very life to that end… is your magic really so terrible?" Pain erupted behind the doubt. Would he still want to cease to exist?_

" _Yes" Clow admitted. "Though originally it wasn't so… had my parents never been so selfish, perhaps I'd have been just another unusually powerful mage" he answered carefully "But then I met you… be patient my dear, we will be getting there soon…"_

 _Chest clenching painfully, Violet resigned herself to listen, ignoring the burning ache behind her eyes._

I tiptoed on the lines of morality for a while.

Selfishly chasing after my visions, like a starved man met with water at the reach of his fingers… Determination spurred me I knew what I had to do, but I lacked the knowledge to do so – I can watch the future unfold, and while I gain wisdom and insight from such dreams, I gain no real knowledge or experience.

So I decided that to pursue that dream, I'd have to learn everything I could about magic. I felt weary about it, even slightly scared – what would I find outside the bubble I built around me? Would the world still whisper in fear about me? Was I still remembered?

The answer was _Yes_.

Not wanting to face the reputation I built over the fear I inspired – I had more power than anything on this Earth and that wasn't a secret anymore… So I dressed myself as a scholar, a teacher and a theorist.

Donned the mask of inoffensiveness and started to wander the lands, gaining knowledge and experience that I needed to put my plans into action. I learned how to draw and paint from mother, and learned how to spell craft from father – building on their teachings, I wrote this book and drew the cards, thinking about how once I gave my life for theirs, I'd be one step closer of being free.

Another life was in store for me – _Yes, I could see that much ahead_ – my soul would have been split in two as souls do in the fountain of life. One half goes to a lonely Japanese boy who grows up in London, raised by servants due to his parents neglect… I thought to leave him part of my memories and magic, as to guide him into helping Sakura.

…

 _Ten years old Eriol Hiragisawa finds a queer looking book inside his father's office – they bought this old house very recently, so a lot of the things inside belonged to the old owner – an eccentric man who liked to tell stories._

" _My great grandfather used to work for the old Lord who lived here. After the Lord married a foreign Lady and moved back to her homeland, he left the house to the Evington's family" The old man told Eriol during a break between his and father's negotiations. They'd come to visit the Victorian manor to see it's state of conservation – and Eriol strayed from the adults as conversations grew boring._

" _What was the lord's name?" The little boy asked, full of intrigue and wondering about all the secret rooms he might be able to find should father decide to keep the house._

 _The old man smiled "Clow Reed… nan's stories say he was actually a magician. She was but a little girl when she met him, but she still told the most absurd stories, at least until Lord Reed was gone… The library is still filled with books, you know, there are books in there that no one has been able to touch before. Maybe you have what it takes to read them, eh boy?"_

 _Feeling as if he was being dismissed – the old man must have tired of humoring him – Eriol, used with such things did what Mr. Evington suggested and left to search for the fabled library and its mysteriously stubborn books._

 _Hitomu Hiragizawa buys the house. Eriol would start attending boarding school soon and they would need it should the family return to London. Eriol's mum and dad leave for another business trip though, and leave the little ten years old boy alone in the old house, surrounded by unfamiliar servants._

" _Clow Reed huh?" The boy mutters under his breath, fingering the pages of the strange book he's found in the office._

 _Behind his eyes, he sees the harmless face of a smiling man._

 _When he sleeps, he dreams._

…

The other half of my soul goes to Fujitaka Kinomoto, a descendant of my line… Though he'd never know anything about his last life beyond forgettable dreams and an uncanny knack for intuition… He knows for sure that the all choices he makes are the right ones, up until the day his wife dies giving birth to his daughter, Sakura.

XxxxXxxxX

Clow voice trailed off as he stared into Violet, reading her for reactions, no doubt. The witch closed her eyes, feeling the weight of emotional drain leaving her so very tired. She still met his eyes though, not wanting to hide the tears now staining her cheeks.

Although glad the sorcerer shared something so significant with her, she still felt as if there was a knife twisting in her chest…

"You…" Her voice hitched as her throat clogged up. It took a moment for her breathing to steady again, and when it did, Violet felt control returning "If it wasn't for me showing up… you were going to… you did go through so much trouble just to get rid of your powers… Clow… What… what I never…"

"Fell in love with me?" The insane sorcerer finished for her. Violet nodded, trying to derail the anger that wanted to be left out. She had to deal this as an adult, and not throw her temper around to do the most amount of damage imaginable. Blowing Clow up into smithereens would _not_ solver her frustrations with the sorcerer.

Then she calmed down. _'I am making things about me, when they should be about_ _ **us**_ ' This thought brought clarity. A numb calmness that almost spilled ice in her veins, evaporating the anger…

' _I feel betrayed… why? Because he had plans before meeting me? For not being accounted in his plans? Oh Violet, get a grip, witch!'_

"Yes" Violet agreed levelly, proudly raising her head and daring him to contradict her "You showed me these" Her hands drifted over the accursed card book "And you told all that… for what?"

" _What_ , you silly witch" The sorcerer chuckled mirthlessly. "I love you for a whole lot of reasons beyond what you're thinking…I love the way you ramble when nervous, the adorable crease between your eyebrows when you think too hard about something. I love how your insecurities melt away when you face something you want; I love your smiles, your laugher, your anger excites me and your sadness compels me to do better. I love how your eyes shine when you learn magic, how you shine brightly after every achievement… should I go on?"

"N-no" Violet choked out, inscrutable mask slipping away as every word that left his lips pierced into her heart like little arrows. "I... I never… never had something that… that I didn't fight for…" Her emotions all crumbled as her voice bubbled dangerously "Just thinking I could lose you… to a vision, to a prophecy was… I lost my family to a prophecy... I died twice for a prophecy…" Finally breaking down, the witch whispered wetly "The thought that you wanted me because you can't see me has crossed my mind, _yes_ , but it didn't _stay._ I _trust you_. I know there were things you hid from me… I'm not naïve or stupid, but I also knew that all I had to do was _ask_ "

"Violet…" Her sorcerer – he was indubitably _hers_ after all he's said – voiced out, but the witch held up a hand that stalled the words in his lips.

"I will not let you _kill_ yourself, get it? I'm not losing you over a prophecy" Violet inhaled sharply, furiously rubbing her wet cheeks and eyes. "I'm sorry you suffered so much grief because of your powers… if being with me make them dull, I don't mind being a veil for you… I… I love you too"

"Violet… that's why I told you what I did… why I showed you these and asked for your help" Clow told her slowly, smile warming slightly at the fact she finally voiced her feelings "I am not planning on dying anytime soon… but these are too important to just forget about, so I thought if we both powered the spells, I wouldn't have to resort to last measures like my life force"

"Oh…" As if she was a marionette with its strings cut, the witch sagged bonelessly against the darn book. "Oh…" She breathed out again, brain having to reboot as relief coursed like a balm all over her body. Once her mind was done joining its momentarily tattered sanity, Violet questioned something that has been bugging her for a while now "There is something else, isn't there? Why can't you see me, specifically?"

Clow blinked once, then smiled that closed eyelid smile that screamed mischief "Why, my dear, all you have to do is sink further into our bond… don't you feel it? Can't you see it? The answer to your question is right beneath your nose, always was"

' _Now what sort of surprise will be sprung on me this time? I don't think I can take anymore today… But I did ask…'_

And so Violet _looked inwards._ Her undeveloped mage eyes still vastly untrained, but her magic knew what to look for – Her mind cast attentiveness into the ether as the witch sunk into the obvious, pulsing connection she shared with Clow – a bond reminiscent of the one she once had with Voldemort, but filled with light and _love¸_ now that she knew what that particularly warm feeling was.

It glowed in the back of her mind, an awareness that existed beyond conscious thought. The bond grew stronger, thickening before her very eyes as her relationship with Clow intensified… she's admitted her feelings for him and he made his more than clear for her addled mind – Her heart hasn't stopped stuttering as she remembered his _–_ So as she watched, the light blooming behind her lids lit up in her sorcerer – edged with warmth, the ball of ethereal light shined just under his heart, stretching out in her direction, a perfect mirror of her own…

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~

Extra notes:  
1) This chapter gave a **lot** of trouble… I did it over and over, edited things in and out, and this is the result! - Almost nothing of this can be found! I pulled most out of my magician's hat, so it isn't cannon but my own ideas! xD  
2) Too long, once more… but I didn't want to drag Clow's flashback much.  
3) On another subject! What would you like to see in a Valentine day special? (leave this one open since I have nothing planned~ valentine days or ' _Dia dos Namorados'_ only falls in June 12 in my country, so yeah, leaving the choice for you guys!) :)


	27. Valentine's Day Special Episode

I wondered what I could make as a valentine day chapter, and following your suggestions, this was born! :)  
1) This one shot stands independent from the other Special – It's more of a Spin Off the main story~!  
2) Time line is two-three years after the original SCC, TRC and xXxHolic  
3) Syaoran is Clow's descendant

The Crow

(Valentine Special)

XxxxXxxxX

He swallowed hard.

Sweat was gathering on his brows as he fidgeted with his crisply pressed dress shirt's collar, the emerald green color making his eyes and skin tone pop out.

Nervously, he shifted his weight from foot to foot, resisting the urge to tuck his hands into pockets.

"Come on…" He prepped himself, taking a deep breath and then –

"Oh, it's you… of course it could only be the weirdo lurking in front of other people's houses" Touya didn't sneer, but his usually lazy expression sharpened into a _dangerous_ one that never failed to make Syaoran cringe.

His girlfriend's older brother was _not_ to be trifled with. Taller than him by a good solid feet and being six years older helped.

And then came the skidding noises, accompanied by a shriek and an unintelligible yell that could be loosely interpreted as being "Onii-san!" from years of repeated occurrences. Sakura made a show of pushing Touya out of the way so she could stand in his place, breathing heavily and holding out a prettily decorated bag with pride and uncertainty written all over her face. "Here! I made this myself!"

Syaoran politely ignored the older man's grumbles, and the very pointed glare he received for his troubles. Touya never liked him, and the boy knew why. _'First my crush on Yukito when I first met him… and then the dating his little sister thing'_ One day, they'd sit and talk man to man. Hopefully without any pointy things in the vicinity and a clear understanding that Sakura was _his_ , and no, he didn't harbor any feelings for the Moon guardian besides camaraderie.

"Thank you" He said to Sakura, who beamed happily when he accepted the bag and offered his other hand for her. Her chestnut brown hair fell in pretty ringlets all around her face and she was wearing a nice long sleeved dress with a denim jacket to stave off the cold.

"You better bring the Monster back by seven, weirdo" Touya called from the house, closing the door on their face as he did _'Rude caveman'_ Syaoran thought, shaking his head and tugging on Sakura's hand when she growled out threats and shook her fists at the house.

"We're going to the Penguin Park first" the boy told his girlfriend, who was still fuming from her brother's teasing.

They might be thirteen, but little siblings were _never_ immune from the elders. Ever. Syaoran didn't have any brothers or sisters of his own, but he did have a collection of cousins _plus_ Meilin, and wasn't that a whole bag of cats? Cousins were veritably _worse_ than siblings, mainly because they were all older than him and he was still chosen as successor – not many were happy with Great grandmother's decision, but what Xiao Ling Li wanted she usually got.

He still remembered almost three years ago when he first came to Tomoeda – a small district only a few minutes always from Tokyo by commute. The culture shock was blatant and painful, with his shaky Japanese comprehension and everyone butchering his name to the point where it was easier to just go with it. But it was necessary at the time, and the one who'd tell him why had been Great grandmother.

" _An old, extraordinarily powerful force has awoken… bring me the maps and crystals, Xiao Lan, let great grandmother find it for you"_ She told him, he'd barely started training in the family's art. _"It is yours by right, but you will have to conquer it"_

' _Conquer what exactly?'_ Because it was painfully obvious when he met Sakura, the elected Card Bearer that _she_ was the true inheritor of the power his Great grandmother spoke about. The only thing he could do was fight her until he couldn't excuse to himself anymore, and finally admitted to the fairly extrapolating infatuation he had with everything related to her.

That a light shined in her chest in accord to his own was only icing on the cake.

Sakura was _life_ , she was light and happiness. Her presence evoked good and her eyes shined with kindness. She was the kind of person who would never abuse Clow's powers, not consciously at least – so she _needed_ him to be there for her. He's a Li. Li in general recognized greatness and like dragons, wished to hoard it all to themselves.

"Will you eat the chocolate I made? I didn't even have to ask for Sweet's help this time!" Her green eyes were eager and her smile sweet. Syaoran blushed hotly to his ears as he thought about kissing her, but he could never overcome his shyness – _and_ they were still in public.

Granted, people wouldn't pay close scrutiny to a pair of teenagers out and about on a date, in Valentine's day, which landed on a Sunday of all days – so no school at all. The streets were as packed with couples as was conceivable, and suddenly the boy was wondering if Penguin Park would be as available as he thought it would.

"I would eat anything you make me" Syaoran promised, aware of what that implied even if Sakura was a little naïve. To a magician trust enough another one to eat their cooking, implied a very deep sense of _familiarity_.

It was startlingly easy to slip something untoward in another's food or drink, and sneaky magicians with no good intentions were known to do so _'Like my cousins during family reunions and the fact I spent more time bedridden than participating…'_ when it was announced his new heir status, reactions varied from ass kissing to the odd assassination attempts.

' _That's why mother and Auntie worked a contract between Meilin and me…'_ A loose, open contract that was broken the moment it was known to the larger magical communities that he was courting – rather, dating – Clow Reed's chosen successor.

Sakura didn't know yet – neither Kero nor Yui deigned to tell her the amount of clout she had with the Families. Syaoran _could_ tell her, but the young Card Mistress was not ready to deal with politics on that level. Her family background was as mundane as they come! Her father a high school teacher whose income put them solidly in middle class… That his steady girlfriend of two and a half years was considered _royalty_ in certain circles was bound to fluster and trouble her – He's been copiously using the Family's connections to keep Sakura safe.

"Oh! I know I don't cook as well as Touya or Tou-san, but Rika-chan and Tomoyo didn't help me again this year" The minty eyed girl playfully poked him in the arm "I wouldn't poison you..."

Syaoran smiled back, cheeks flushing from her close attention "I know" He told her, thinking about a change of subject "Did Kero want to come?"

"Yep" She nodded, carefree curls shining under the morning light. "But this is a _date,_ we are going out to do couple things, not play around" The word _date_ was stressed out, making both of them share a blush and a secret look.

"Aren't you too young…?" A voice startled both teens. Syaoran took a second to flinch before swirling around. This person has managed to sneak up on him, _dangerous_ , his senses told him. Sakura jumped, her hands drifting to her Key dangling from a dainty chain around her neck.

The one who called them out was _strange_.

An aura of power clung to her despite her harmless expression. Wild, riotous copper colored hair and a pair of stunning green eyes – the color reminisced of Sakura's, but a lot more vivid. She was wearing a poet shirt with open sleeves and the neckline buttoned up. Washed out blue jeans and a beaten down leather jacket a couple of sizes too big for her, a studded green belt and a couple of jewelry completed the look of a rebel college student.

She was also clearly European.

His girlfriend blinked, half in astonishment at the older woman's sudden appearance and a little bit of caution… Even Sakura had her hackles raised. "W-who are you?" she asked carefully, a small offended pout on her lips. _'We are being criticized in the middle of the street for dating…'_ Awkward didn't even begin to describe being called out like that.

The woman smiled kindly down at them, making laugh lines stand out at the corner of her eyes. "I'm sorry dears. You remind me so much of my grandchildren that I couldn't resist teasing you"

"Grandchildren?!" Sakura yelped, wide eyed. Syaoran's reaction was a bit more sedated. He _knew_ magician aged accordingly to their power level. The oldest Li clan's elder topped the five centuries mark easily. His own great grandmother was almost two hundred and looked no older than a middle aged woman – Fujitaka's youthful appearance was a remnant of his own latent powers, and Touya looked about years younger than he actually was.

"Sakura, this woman is a magician" He told his stupefied girlfriend. _'It seems it was an oversight not to educate her further into the magical communities…'_ Because of course they would be caught by surprise by a mage without Kero around to look out for them. "What do you want?"

The woman continued smiling, eyes drifting down to Sakura's neck and glancing at the key curiously before she answered the girl's unasked question first "You know about magic, yes? If you practice magic, you age a lot slower than mundane people…" She stopped talking, letting the younger magicians absorb what she said. "I saw you have a sealed staff with you, and this handsome young man is obviously a Li... I truly do find young love beautiful, and the bond you two share is even more precious"

Syaoran had to hold back the reflective wince that made his tongue click. He hasn't come around telling Sakura about that little fact yet – Soul mates was a touchy subject at the best of times after all.

"Oh sorry… I'm Sakura Kinomoto" Well-mannered Sakura greeted, returning the smile.

The woman offered a shallow bow, while the younger girl's returned bow was deeper. "Nice to meet you, dear! My name is _Sumire_ Rido, we both have flower names it seems…"

That perked his girlfriend up "Hoe! Do you really know magic?" She asked genuinely enthusiastically. _'What about our date?'_ Syaoran thought to himself with glum, feeling the undeniable power this woman had crawling around him like light tendrils. They curled protectively around them, not threatening at all – but _powerful_ magicians like this woman were to be dealt with carefully.

…

"And after talking to Sumire-obaa-chan about magic, Syaoran and I went on our date! We had a really nice picnic at the Penguin Park, and after that we visited the cinema to watch Senshi-Senshou new movie!" Kero stiffened at the mention of magic, his whole body suspending as he hovered closer to his mistress.

"Was the brat okay with that?" The stuffed lion toy asked plaintively, not imagining that Syaoran would take kindly to another magician in Tomoeda – the districting becoming Li territory as soon as the heir moved over.

Sakura tilted her head in confusion "Of course he was, he was the one who invited me to see it" Kero crossed his arms pointedly "Oh right, you mean Sumire-obaa-chan? She is alright; she is not like Eriol's guardians or Mizuki-sensei… Did I tell you that she looked foreign? She said I looked like her grandkid!"

' _So she isn't a guardian'_ Kero wondered quietly, pondered on Sakura's first encounter with a foreign magician. Western and Eastern magics often conflicted, though the shared ground rules were enough to make them compatible – Kaho Mizuki didn't stay long to teach Sakura the crafts properly, and Eriol has long since moved back to England once his purpose was fulfilled… _'Master's last will, to be kept by his reincarnation… poor kid'_ At least it assured that the sole inheritor of Clow Reed's immensurable powers was _Sakura_ , but neither the cards, nor Kero or Yui were teacher material.

Syaoran Li wasn't even taken in consideration.

For the brat to teach Sakura, she'd have to be taken by the clan as a ward – which wasn't happening, not while she didn't know the full implications of what being the Cards mistress implied.

The elder brother, Touya… now that one, despite not possessing Sakura's potential was still powerful on his own – the young man shared Clow's blood, and inherited a lot of aspects from the sorcerer – going as far as sharing aptitudes. Touya's element was also Darkness, and he'd make a really powerful Shaman or Spiritualist seeing how his Empathy and Aura Reading allow him to know _people_. The whole Kinomoto family shared a level of unexpected latent clairvoyance talent, which helped the elder brother see how Yui needed help behind his façade as Yukito when Sakura's powers were still immature.

' _I have to learn more'_ the stuffed lion decided. "Let's look for that woman tomorrow then… I want to see what she's about"

Sakura grinned, magic swirling around her in a playful halo. Kero could feel the contented satisfaction pouring out the cards, and he himself was basking under the heiress' magic – so pure, so happy.

…

"It's Valentine's day, where is my chocolate?" Her husband asked teasingly, running a daring finger down her back and hooking it at one of her jeans' belt loops. He himself was dressed a lot more mundane way than usual, with a dress shirt and pressed suit pants – his hair in a high ponytail and jacket held in the crook of his elbow. Wherever they went, people craned their necks to look at him. He looked like pretty smart, like an absurdly good looking business man.

"Hidden" The witch purred wickedly, eyes glinting "Not sure it'd be proper to give it to you in front of so many people"

"Want to skip the date?" Clow asked hopefully, lifting an eyebrow. Oh, she loved these modern times when the sorcerer decided to be practical and used contact lenses instead of glasses – his eyes had this strange effect, when they'd change hues on a whim or go silver with his powers.

"Nope" Violet sassed, looping her arm through his and leading away her husband through the busy streets toward the café where their date was supposed to start. "And I met Cherry and Little Lan on my way here"

"How did it go?" The sorcerer asked interestedly. This might not be their universe, but it was always interesting to interact with counterparts.

"As expected. The poor girl is still majorly clueless about the crafts without one of us to teach her…" The witch pondered for a moment "Cerberus and Yui are doing their jobs a little _too_ well… they have been shielding her from other magicians, and Little Lan won't bring Cherry into the Li clan without more maturity in their relationship, at least he is responsible to think about her future"

Clow sighed, opening the door to the café for his wife and ignoring the maid's knowing looks. Since the place was moderately crowded, the pair was delegated a free table by the windows – not their first choice, but agreeable.

"What are you planning?" He asked, no doubt that she _wasn't_ planning anything. "Remember that in this universe, I am most likely gone"

"Well… I was thinking of improvising as I go" Violet answered blandly, a smile wide on her lips "But mostly, I'm thinking of leaving Cherry some instructions and introducing Peach to Kimihiro"

The sorcerer eyed the witch "Not Fei Wang?"

"At this point? I think Fei is still stuck in his obsession with Yuuko…" And didn't that make her spine stiffen… Fei Wang was a brilliant Scientist and had an unparalleled intellect for the arts. He was also madly in love with Yuuko, who was in love with Clow, who was Violet's husband _and_ Fei Wang's sort of father. _'Clone… Copy… Alternative timeline son? Clow can wish beings into existence if he isn't careful enough…'_ "And if I'm not mistaken, then the alternate timeline is still inexistence… the grief struck you who decided to rewind time in a bid to lose his powers…"

Clow created an entire new timeline where he turned Tokyo into a kingdom governed by him…

Kimihito Watanuki, born Kimihiro Li is actually Syaoran's alternate self from the other timeline, created to fill the blank left by the original Syaoran… magic and parallel times so tightly stitched together that it became a jumbled up of confusion _'Oh, right… first, getting rid of his magic. Second, cleaning up the mess he's made in pursuit of the first'_

It doesn't change that _this_ version of Kimihiro is the heir of Yuuko's magic _and_ her shop – thus he is bound to have inherited the traveling witch's knowledge as her sort of apprentice.

"This world's Clow Reed didn't have _you"_ Her husband pointed out, lovingly caressing her hand. "I am lost without you, half of what I should be… without you I can't think straight, look where it led me and my family…"

"But _you_ have _me_ …" Not every version of him would be lucky to find their other half, but her sorcerer did, she did, so there was no use crying over has beens. _'As cold as it sounds… all I care about is_ _ **my**_ _family'_

"I do, don't I?"

The date was _perfect._ And Clow did love his chocolate.

…

"Oh Merlin! You are such a cutie!" Sumire-obaa-chan cooed over Kero, not touching him, but by the way the very air trembled with her feelings, it was just as much. Her guardian puffed up, glaring at the older woman with his beady black eyes.

"You're old" Was the first thing that left Kero's mouth. Sakura hurried to clamp his mouth shut, but the damage was already done and all she could really do was bow apologetically to Grandma.

They've been hunting said woman down for the whole afternoon, as soon as school let out… and now this? How embarrassing! But Sumire-obaa-chan just laughed, genuinely entertained by Kero's attitude. _'It's a first'_ because usually people tended to become offended.

"I am! Despite how I look, I am way older than you, little guy… in fact, I might have met the sorcerer whose presence this child exudes… that's dangerous you know? _That_ man had a lot of enemies, many of them still kicking around" The woman told them, focusing more on Kero than Sakura. The young sorceress could see _how_ having Clow's presence above hers was dangerous though, why, she's been already targeted by the old sorcerer's enemies more than once. "You should be teaching her how to control her powers… the cards are tools, not crutches"

"How do you know so much?" Kero asked suspiciously, but Sakura could see that glint of _hope_ in his eyes.

It was clear to her that both Kero and Yui loved Clow so very much, and she was a cheap replacement though both guardians accepted her – Yui barely managing that if it wasn't for Yukito's persona. The young magician didn't feel bad about that… all she really wanted was for everyone to be happy.

"When I said I might have met that man, what I meant is that I actually dated him for a while" Sumire-obaa-chan said smilingly, grinning when Kero sputtered and blushed. Clow's ex-girlfriends were Troublesome with a capital T, the old fool's track record didn't favor him one bit. "Oh don't worry, we were also _very good_ friends… it was such a long time ago, but if feels like just yesterday we were holding hands"

Sakura and Sumire-obaa-chan exchanged _looks_ , understanding flowing between them in a way only romantics could comprehend.

"Wait… so that means you are a magician" Kero snapped back to reality and clung to something that interested him. The woman nodded, red curls bouncing over her shoulders. Today she forgone jeans and was wearing _robes_ of all things. _'Black, blue, gold and white'_

"That's what I said, yes" Sumire-obaa-chan smiled, reaching inside the folds of her robes and pulling out a _massive_ tome, which could have in no way fitted inside there without anyone noticing the bulge… The heavy looking, impossibly think book was handled with care to Sakura, who struggled to hold onto its weight "Which brings me to why I came here! Take this, dear, my husband likes to teach sorcery so he writes a lot of books about it; I got this one for you. It is an introduction into basic sorcery and theory behind spell construction. You should consult your Li friend about acquiring more books, there are a lot of magical libraries in Europe and some in Japan… you will need a guide to access them for the first time, but since you have _that"_ She nodded helpfully at the sealed staff dangling around the girl's neck "You don't have to worry about membership"

"You won't be staying to teach her?" Sakura's guardian asked, making the girl look hopefully at the older woman.

"Oh no. Unfortunately I cannot… I'm only here for a few more days, no longer than that… but I do have an acquaintance you can visit about receiving lessons. He lives in Tokyo, but you can summon him whenever you need if you have the right ways" The older woman offered Sakura a hand. The young girl accepted it with a dubious smile, which immediately vanished when suddenly; there was a dark looming doorway right in front of them.

"This magic…! The traveling witch's portals!" The little stuffed lion exclaimed, eyes wide. He looked from the doorway to Sumire-obaa-chan, then back again "You can't be Lady Yuuko"

"No, but I was taught this trick" The older magician told him, tugging on Sakura's hand still caught in her own "Come now! He must have felt us already!"

"Who…?" Sakura asked, striding confidently beside the strange woman – for some reason, she trusted Grandma Sumire, this niggling feeling in the back of her head that never seemed to be wrong.

"Watanuki Kimihiro, the traveling witch's successor and inheritor of the dimensional shop. I am certain he can be convinced to teach you, and he should have something in there to help with transportation"

"Will you be bringing us back?" the guardian pressed, not keen on flying all the way back to Tomoeda from Tokyo.

"Of course!"

…

"You…"

"Me…?"

"Who are you? Why can't I _see_ you?" Mismatched eyes were wide and staring. His eyes were very pretty, Violet thought, with a cat like tilt to them and a luminous quality that came with vast amounts of magic.

"Balance" the witch answered with a tilt of her head, letting something she usually kept hidden be seen – Kimihiro would grasp the meaning of what she wasn't saying, if he was anything like his counterpart in the other universe. "But it isn't about me that we came to visit"

"Kinomoto Sakura" Kimihiro said wonderingly "It is a pleasure to finally meet you" The shop owner greeted, inclining his head and prompting Sakura to do the same, though she was a bit distracted by all the things contained in the room. Kero couldn't slide his eyes off of the young man – This Kimihiro has been raised to purposely look like Clow, so it must be quite a shock to the guardian who has never seen him before. "What can I do for you?"

Sakura thought for a moment before answering, her hand still clasped tightly in Grandma's "I want to learn more about magic" she settled for, meeting Kimihiro's colorful eyes with her own. "Why do I feel like I know you…?"

The young shop owner blinked owlishly, golden eye glinting under the dim light and the sole blue eye turning silver in a very familiar way. "There is no coincidence, only inevitability" he said slowly, staring at a point beyond Sakura, before looking back at her "We've met before, but not this _me_ and not that _you_. I feel like I've loved you once upon a time… however…"

"You feel like Touya, daddy, Tomoyo, Meilin, Syaoran and Sumire-obaa-chan! Like family!" incredibly intuitive Sakura was able to nail their bond correctly, her aptitude seemed to impress the shop owner, for her smiled brightly down at her – all the poise and posture he previously had forgotten as he realized he had _family_.

' _Their bond has been formed the moment they met'_ Violet thought fondly. Job well done. Now Kimihiro would teach Sakura without Syaoran's restrictions, and Sakura would have the traveling witch's successor's protection beside Clow's reputation.

…

"Hello" The achingly familiar voice startled him. Yui woke up, wearing his human skin, making Yukito's eyes dissolve into silver pools of light.

"M-master…" The voice reverberated with pain, but Yui could careless when the person he loved most in life was standing right in front of him. He looked younger than he remembered, and wearing modern clothes too… But it was _him_. The same presence, the same magic… Only… their bond is _gone_.

"Not really… I am Clow Reed, but _not_ " the not-Master revealed sadly, smile stuck on that familiar face in an expression Yui has committed to memory centuries ago. "I am a version of him from another universe" Yui could believe that. His heart is telling the truth.

"What happened?" The question burned in his tongue for years and years. "Why?" felt so loaded and heavy… he wondered if Clow's answer would ever match that other not-Master's ones. They were one, but _not._ How queer.

"If this me was anything like I was back then, then I can say I've erred greatly in thinking that I could control my powers to the way I used them… I'd have thought to play god and paid the price with the life of a precious friend, become mistrustful of my gifts and create you, Cerberus and the cards in the hopes of seeing myself rid of magic – when that didn't work, I'd have ran away from friends and family, exacerbating the problem and creating trouble for a lot of people while I hid away until my life expired and my soul could be reborn"

"Why… didn't you take us with you?" The moon guardian wished to know. But Clow didn't really know, so he said so.

"I cannot answer for that me… we stopped sharing the same mind set when the event that separates our universes happened"

"Then why come here? Will you stay…?" The hope was what hurt the most.

"No… I have my own universe to return to, and my own family waiting for me. Though I can say with certainty that the other _Yui_ will never share your past, that I've learned my lessons and grew from them, and ask that you _forgive_ the version of Clow Reed that existed here"

Forgive…? _'Am I angry?'_

"I… did, a long time ago" Yui understood, his chest swelling with emotions he couldn't describe. He still loves his Masters, both previous and current, but… without the Earth there to gravitate around of, where would the moon go? When he focused back on the spot the other-Clow stood, he was gone.

…

"You've been meddling" Clow noted, sitting down beside her on the park bench.

"Just a little bit" Violet allowed, leaning sideways so her head was on her husband's lap. The sorcerer's fingers dug into her hair, massaging her scalp slowly and deliciously.

"That's my witch" He laughed, leaning down so he could catch his wife in a breathtaking kiss.

"I am infinitely glad that things in our universe didn't turn out like this one… and you have also been meddling… Clow Country, really?"

"Well… other me had quite the ego and no witch wife to beat it down at turns…"

This time, it was Violet who laughed.

…

End! :D


	28. Part XXV

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 25)

XxxxXxxxX

The shy glimpse Violet could see from the light shining in his chest was hypnotic. Her eyes remained wide and fascinated, fastened on Clow with a scary intensity – at least until the witch would turn down to gaze at her own chest, where an equal mass of burning luminescence coalesced brilliantly.

Though as her concentration wavered, so did the image… and before she could blink again, the lights were gone along her mage sight.

Voice wavering slightly from emotion, the witch gathered enough breath to ask "When were you going to tell me about this?"

Her sorcerer smiled gently, waving a hand above the space between them and obviously weaving a spell – for the next second Violet wasn't feeling so drained – she nodded in thanks, pressing her hands against her knees.

' _So much going on… and now this… It is impossible not to think that_ _ **he**_ _only wants me because of the bond… no, maybe that's how it started'_ the feelings she caught drifting from Clow were anything but platonic.

…

 _A ruby red rope of passion so ardent it shimmered, right behind another lighter pink/white cord that pulsed with warmth and love. There were others conjoined in the emotional bond – from little intricate webs of strings to thick strong cables. The multicolored hues intertwined together so tightly they became white again, glistening like a precious stone._

…

To her half accusation, Clow just said sincerely "I didn't want you making any decisions based solely on the nature of our bond. I wished for your decision to stay come from you, and you alone" He finished with a smile, eyes trailed on her face as if to gauge a reaction.

' _I wish I could say if I would have been affected by this knowledge or not… maybe I'd have chosen to go back and never come back, or maybe I'd stay and blame the bond and Clow later on'_ As it is, there is no sense in wondering what ifs. The true nature of their bond was a something that she could have learned anytime, though… _'I do feel cheated that he hasn't told me earlier!'_

"Well… don't hide important stuff from me anymore" Violet settled on, diplomatically not mentioning all the times he's withheld information before. Just because she hasn't the right questions, doesn't mean he can't give the right answers. "And no more planning on the future without consulting me first! I don't want another one of these cards surprise… Merlin you gave me a fright!" The witch finished her piece scolding the unrepentantly smiling sorcerer.

Clow hid incredibly well all the amusement he was feeling, though it made tingles travel down her spine. "Of course, dear" He agreed amicably, making Violet swallow her irritation and give out a snort when she also realized how they sounded. "I should practice that line a lot, shouldn't I?"

"You're learning"

XxxxXxxxX

"How do we go about charging these?" Violet asked once her thoughts settled down and she remembered the cause of it – the innocent looking book sitting on top of Clow's desk, gold glinting under the light as if it carried not a death sentence to her sorcerer.

' _I too needed time to settle down… that took a lot more out of me than I thought it would'_ Said sorcerer didn't intend for their time to devolve into… whatever it turned into. He should have predicted that Violet's reaction to his intended purpose for the cards would be violent… At least she understood… which was good.

And…

' _She's admitted her love out loud'_ His thoughts revolted into one big giddy mess – his measured focus and composure almost crumbling in the wake of her hesitant confession. Sure, his witch was scolding him and he was too busy trying to make her see his point, but the fact remained that she vocalized it _'And so did I'_

Violet was a passionate woman by nature – reckless and brave, when properly motivated, he knew she'd fall head first into anything that tickled her fancy… _'Now if I can draw it out of her in the height of passion, it should sound all the more rewarding'_

Clow then refocused on Violet's original words and rose from his seat in answer – as was customary, the sorcerer pulled on his witch's chair as well and assisted her to her feet. The green eyed woman smiled in thanks, and the raw need written on her face warned him ahead of time about the armful of loving Violet he eventually received.

Her arms secured around his neck as she clung tightly to him… "I really scared you, didn't I?" The sorcerer whispered in her ear, using a hand to push stray strands of hair away from her face. "Do not worry yourself over what this silly old sorcerer thought about doing before… nothing else matters now that you're here… No plans will ever hold me as much as you do. My future belonged to you from the very moment I stole you from the storm"

Violet's heart thudded reassuringly strong against his. She breathed in his scent in relief. "I love you" His witch whispered back shyly, the words foreign in her lips. _'Has she ever told anyone that she loves them? Has anyone ever told her that they love her?'_ It'd explain a lot about her insecurities…

And also made Clow tighten the hold on his temper… _'The day I meet her family…'_ He's thought about it before – the wretched beings that managed to crush his love's self-esteem rated below humanity in his eyes – and the sorcerer already felt relatively poorly about people in general.

Ending the embrace but not letting go of his witch, Clow summoned his staff with a thought with his left hand, the other holding onto Violet's. "We can do this later" He offered, already knowing what she'd say…

' _Or perhaps hoping she will agree. I will not try to push for_ _ **that**_ _future anymore, though I would be… nice if I still manage to make it happen. It'd give a meaning for all I've been through'_

"No… if you were going to sacrifice so much for this project, it tells me these cards, the little girl, Sakura, mean a lot to you" The green eyes young woman searched his face – He knew he showed an easy smile on his lips, and eyes partially close – but the witch managed to see something in the depths of his emotions that made her decision solid. "If what you need is my magic, then it is yours"

Selfless, giving and nurturing… How he loves his little witch. She was offering her powers without expecting anything in return _'Perhaps not… her reward is going to be my continued existence'_ Clow could practically _hear_ the clogs turning in her head, if not outright guess what she was thinking based on the mishmash of emotions flickering in and out of her eyes.

So the sorcerer just nodded, changing his grip on her hand and interlacing their fingers together "Just keep hold of my hand and channel magic down to me, our compatibility makes certain our elements will mingle in harmony" He explained, skin starting to tingle when Violet's magic flared around her, motes of light exploding from their joined hands and flowing into him.

Clow knew the feel of Violet's magic – felt it actively brushing against him in their bond, sometimes a questing limb of an ethereal nature would reach out from the ether, tethering them together with a jealous zeal that did not surprise him anymore – but being literally _submerged_ in her very essence was…

 _Glorious_.

The light whispered of her feelings, imprinted in her magic was her past and present, each bond she's ever had in her life left indents – giving what was essentially Violet personality and flair. Since they were both halves of each other, that same power entering Clow without trouble, filling him from head to toe and leaving the sorcerer almost drunk in its potency… _'I might regret this but…'_

"A little less, my dear… feel for my own magic and as you sense my own reservoirs begin to dwindle, replenish mine with your own" Violet's eyes screwed shut in concentration – it was impressive enough that a novice sorceress could achieve feats that many found difficult, but she could do it without problems – transferring magic, or lending magic, took a lot of mental power and visualization from the one attempting it. "Yes, keep the flow steady" The sorcerer squeezed her fingers, letting a tendril of his own darkened light enter her, giving her insight as to his inner workings.

Violet slowly did as he instructed, and Clow felt her magic recede until it laid restlessly just at the reach of his hands – what before swallowed him to the point of nearly drowning, now turned into a steady, passive trickle.

When his witch regained confidence, the sorcerer began the ritual that would "awaken" his lifelong project.

' _Each card will be an aspect of magic, from battle and healing to mundane tasks such as Bubbles… it'll take a creative and resourceful sorcerer to command them to their full potential, I think my precious gift will have fun exploring them before they go to their rightful owner'_ Of course he hoped for Sakura to still exist… it'd take a lot of maneuvering and Violet going along with his plans – since Fujitaka _was_ a both reincarnation _and_ a descendant…

' _How do you feel about children? Lots and lots of children?'_ Sounds like something really awkward to ask when they were just starting to become better acquaintance in their relationship.

And as if attuned to his thoughts, the magic he was coaxing into the circle he's had imprinted in his mind long ago flared up, coming to existence on the ground beneath their feet.

Clow's staff was but a word of summon away, and it coalesced in his free hand eagerly, following the call of his powers – The staff was golden, metallic and heavy. Well-worn leather bands around the handle part of the staff greeted his hands, even as he shifted his stance to compensate for the added weight. A solid shape glinted yellow as if a piece of the very sun was trapped within – long and spiky 'rays' protruded from the main body, enveloping a waning moon made of the same materials. As soon as his power started to course through it, the staff's weight was made meaningless.

"Clow…" Violet's voice was filled with wonder – this was the first she's seen him work a spell to this level, not even the transportation circle could compare to the veritable _wonder_ sprawling like a new born galaxy beneath them – magic pulsing so beautifully everything else lost color and luster. His witch's magic fluctuated, eager to join in with his in what amounted to creation – but was actually a very convoluted battery.

"…" Clow couldn't answer, his mind focused solely on the circle spinning lazily and the book now floating above the tip of his staff. _'Wake up'_ The sorcerer whispered incantations under his breath, words mixing into a long hummed string to direct and mold magic. It didn't take long for the cards to 'wake up'.

His magic waned like the moon, the drain sharper than he'd predicted. Each of the cards he designed sucking on his power greedily, at the same time, just like they were projected to – needing to be 'woken' at the same time so they'd act as a single unit – his darkness element tinged magic leaving him as if he was breathing out in a long, drown out sigh.

' _Now I see why I'd tap into my life force'_ Clow leaned on his staff just to keep upright. _'About half way done…'_ The sorcerer relaxed slightly when Violet started to feed her own magic into the mix, filling in the cracks left by his diminishing powers with her stunning, brilliant light.

The book lit up like a little star in his office, greedily sucking on the magic both magicians provided and demanding more with every beat of their hearts. Clow felt sharply when Violet staggered once, the witch being drained on a faster rate than he due to her faltering control – so it was with brutal relief that both felt the drain slower and then stop completely.

Both Clow and Violet stood, staring transfixed at the glowing book as its covers slackened open, pages shifting and shining as the ritual took hold and each individual leaf settled with a 53th of the power provided.

The book trembled, leaves pulsing and shimmering, and soon, so suddenly it seemingly came from nowhere, fifty three glowing rectangles now danced through the air around Clow's staff.

' _They are alive'_ Was the first coherent thought the sorcerer could make in the wake of such tiresome task.

The very next second, both he and Violet were crumbling to the floor in a dead faint, tarot like cards fluttering around them gently as magic lost its hold and they fell into gravity's hand.

XxxxXxxxX

 _Every breath was a struggle._

 _Her head spun. Light lost meaning, time ceased to exist and the only sounds she could hear was the magma-like flow of her own blood and the slow beating of her heart._

' _Let go of me!' She screamed inside her own head._

' _Don't struggle. The only thing you're managing is annoying me. I could have you gone from here easily enough'_

 _Gone._

 _Gone where?_

 _This was her body, her mind, her_ _ **soul**_ _?_

"Is everything alright? You suddenly lost focus. That's dangerous in a spar" The heavily accented American voice asked, with that foreign twang and the high, squeaky quality of a boy going into manhood.

 _Her body moved without her consent, a hand going up to wipe sweat from her forehead – the touch chilling since she could feel both but didn't command any._

' _You don't wipe sweat with your hands! It can make your grip on your weapon slippery!' She chided angrily, not about to suffer for such a rookie mistake in her own body. 'If you don't want sweat dripping in your eyes use a band or the back of your hands, not your palms'_

' _Thank you for the advice' the alien presence cooed lightly, condescension written all over the tone of thought. 'I will take care of this body, don't worry'_

"Don't worry Mr. Manson, I just suffered from a dizzy spell. Perhaps it is time for a break?" _Her lips moved. Disgust and fear curled in her chest._

The small boy nodded, combing his own orange colored hair away from his eyes. He's the one who asked her to spar with him, to keep his skills sharp while not under his father's tutoring – for all of his size and age, Edgar Manson _was_ , indeed, a child genius not only in alchemy – but he also showed a good grasp on the daggers he wielded.

' _Ignorant little boy… Now, why don't we go see what we can do, huh?'_

' _No! Let me out!'_

 _But her pleas fell in deaf ears._

…

Violet's head was pounding.

The back of her eyes were also aching, as were every other muscle in her body. She was feeling dry and heavy at the same time, thirsty and hungry and nauseated – an unpleasant contrast that made the witch retch emptily on her side.

She couldn't even open her lids – the very notion of doing so sent sharp pangs of pains through her eyes.

' _Did I drink too much fire whiskey?'_ Her hazy mind refused to cooperate and generated only incomplete thoughts.

Something vital was missing.

Like missing an arm or a foot…

A muscle stretched, expecting to generate _movement_ and yet nothing happened – she's only ever felt like this once in her life – when confronted by Dementors and having poured an unreasonable amount of magic and emotional power in a Patronus charm.

It took an embarrassing while for Violet to comprehend that she was utterly and completely drained of magic.

Another large gap of time for her to remember what was going on.

' _Clow… where is he?'_ the witch wondered with a hint of panic. She couldn't feel him. His usual spot in her chest didn't register and his magic seemed out of her reach. She's never noticed how much his presence became constant until it wasn't there anymore.

With her heart beating faster in fear, the witch's green eyes snapped open to a world of light and pain. Wincing, Violet physically flinched, trying to control her breathing so she wouldn't throw up, though her abdominal muscles spammed dangerously – she had to find Clow! So she tried to open her eyes once more, hands fisting on the carpeted floor.

' _Wait… carpet?'_ Heavy lids opened a slit, enough for the witch to catch a misty, wavering view of the underside of Clow's desk and the familiar burgundy color of his office's carpet. Light spilled in through the windows, curtains drawn though the panes were closed. The air felt stuffy and warm, though shivers traveled down her spine as her body shuddered in sudden cold.

"C-clow?" Violet managed to stammer out, turning on her belly so she could look at the opposite side of the desk – and witness her seemingly powerful lover fainted on the floor just beside her – if she's turned her hand up their fingers would have brushed. "Wake …u-up… Clow"

The witch rolled again so she'd lay on her back and used the desk to try and pull herself up "Hnn" Her sorcerer moaned once, before a long gush of air hissed between his teeth. "Violet?" Clow called out, sounding hoarse and tired. "Are you alright?" He asked, making said witch huff out a small laugh.

"I've felt worse waking up after drinking fire whiskey for the first time" She managed to croak out, already feeling her energy returning in small spurs. "Are you?" the witch asked in turn, receiving a faint little nudge from her sorcerer – it brought a relief she'd never have thought possible _'It is faint, but I can feel him again!'_ It was enough for Violet to propel herself upwards, staggering dangerously and heavily relying on the table as support.

From this new point of view, she could see their handiwork.

Cards…

Fifty three of them lying scattered all throughout the office.

...

TBC~


	29. Part XXVI

Note: Another treat~!

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 26)

XxxxXxxxX

(continued from part 25)

 _Cards…_

 _Fifty three of them lying scattered all throughout the office._

...

Clow's hand clenched around his staff and he used that as support to raise himself up _'I'd have helped him, but it would end with us both on the ground again'_ she thought as she watched guiltily. Her sorcerer's face was slackened in fatigue, though as soon as he was up, his eyes sought Violet to check her over.

And when he was sure she was visually alright, if not tired, he turned his attention to the cause of all their tiredness.

"They're beautiful" He whispered reverently – lacking magic to summon them up, the sorcerer carefully bent to pick a couple of cards up. Violet, curious about what they looked like now that she's helped give them 'life', followed Clow's example and reached down to a card.

 _The Song._

"It feels alive" Violet noted, wonder written in her voice. _'It feels warm and eager'_ More invigorated now that her magic was slowly regenerating, the witch could now feel the light radiating from the card – fifty three little stars pinging in her limited senses. "It feels like a part of me…"

' _As if I've cast the patronus charm… it wants to please and protect me…'_ Her eyes inwardly misted as tears started to form. Clow didn't look any better than her, his own emotions a heavy, addictive clog of delirious happiness and love.

"In a way, they are… We've used our magic to power them, and we imprint feelings and thoughts in that magic… it comes from our will and our souls… The spell must have absorbed more from us than just magic" The sorcerer theorized, offering a hand to Violet who took it without thought – their physical connection allowed for their magic to run free between them, and Clow made use of this advantage to call upon the cards and summon them up.

One by one, they lit up and floated off the floor, forming a wavering halo of dancing rectangles around Clow and Violet – As the sorcerer said, Violet could now feel the slight kinship with the cards – a little bit of _her_ went into creating them, she's given more than intended but… _'It is like being surrounded by familiars!'_ Like having dozens of Hedwigs around.

Not resisting the opportunity, Violet cracked out a laugh "Does this mean that we are parents?"

Clow released the magic by conjuring _The Clow_ book and safely storing the cards within it. Then his lips were hot upon hers in a searing, passionate kiss that stole her breath away "Not yet" he promised solemnly, making Violet wonder just _when_ they could start practicing making those imaginary children beyond playing power source to a spell.

...

Having passed out for only a few hours and since their magic was surely retuning – though a good night's sleep and a hearty meal would help immensely with regaining their strength, neither Violet nor Clow had any plans of resting _now_.

They were simply too fascinated by the cards to rest, having to learn how to use them and how their powers worked – according to Clow, they should behave like active spells individually, and he explained roughly how they _should_ work – though this was something even he was barely sure.

…

 _Through glimpses of the future, he knew fairly well how they did behave. The current him, however, despite having developed the calculations and drawn the circles, have not learned control over his creations yet._

…

The drain was small.

Though since he was so drained, he felt it more acutely than he'd otherwise. It didn't hurt his recovery much, his powers too great in volume to be affected by such a small inconvenience – but it was strange… so he followed the draining bond to the culprit.

' _Or better, culprits…'_

"Can you feel the slight drain to your magic?" Clow asked Violet, who shrugged at first before blinking in recognition. She's becoming better at being aware of her own power – ever since having it in intimate contact with his. His witch's eyes widened in shock, and her mind opened in front of him.

…

' _The cards… Clow said they'd take magic to maintain if they are to stay… alive… I don't mind sustaining them, can't barely feel a difference since Hedwig took an even larger amount to maintain the familiar bond'_

 _The picture of a beautiful snowy white owl filled her mind as well as his – The witch's familiar, her owl, which gave its life to protect the mistress it loved so – going as far as to hunt to provide for the thin, scraped little girl once upon a time, laying rats or other small rodents on top of her bed._

 _Violet also remembers another drain on her magic now that she thought about it – a large and powerful ward covering her relatives' house, built to protect the witch and feeding on her blood connection to the people living in there. She powered that ward for almost sixteen years, the drain even larger than the one made by the cards._

…

Clow had to hold back his fury. It wouldn't do to get angry at the way Violet was treated as a child right _now_. ' _No children should be used as a live power source! It could stunt their growth! Thankfully the ward was made through blood bonds, had it been anything else…'_ The sorcerer shuddered to think of the damage it'd have caused younger Violet.

"Barely" His witch answered "I understand what it is, don't worry about me" she assured, picking the book up. Violet opened _The Clow_ , ignoring the draw of the cards begging to be used – to be useful, to _serve_. It was written in their coding, they existed for that purpose and felt eager to accomplish it – perhaps like an artificial intelligence, because _spells_ were not meant to _need_.

' _Even I feel the need from here, through our bond, she's eager to test them'_ this brought joy to him, which spilled into her and both shared a knowing look.

 _The Arrow_ was taken out of the book, as were _Big, Bubbles, Change_ and _Cloud_ until the witch turned to Clow with a raised eyebrow.

"Alphabetical order" Violet stated with amusement, eyeing the sorcerer who smiled as well.

"Easier to organize them" He explained the silent question, tapping the opened book still held in his witch's hand "Find the _Light_ and the _Dark…_ I feel they will be easier to control with both of us together"

' _Right now, with our elements still pulsing together in the air, those two, which were created to balance the other, will be at the peak of their power'_ Clow mused as he watched his witch shift through the pile of cards until she found the two he mentioned. _'I knew there would be a level of intelligence and even individual thought instilled in each of them, but this is unexpected…'_ Even now, he could feel them… tiny pinpricks of a faux awareness, remnants of his own feelings and thoughts.

Mischievous. Protective. Sometimes _mean_.

But then, there were the ones screaming another's personality. Courageous. Cunning. Devastatingly brave, sometimes recklessly so.

It would be interesting to summon and use them.

"Here" Violet broke through his train of thought, holding up the _Dark_ and the _Light._ "How do we use them?" she questioned eagerly, her feelings in beautiful synchrony with that the cards wanted. _Light_ was pulsing slightly in her hands, bursting with power it was absorbing from the witch. _Dark_ called, needing to be equal to its counterpart – so Clow reached for it, the witch happily giving the card to him.

In answer to Violet's question, Clow held up his staff – it glowed with magic – that sprawled from beneath his feet and all around them, creating a dome of darkness and stars. The sun and the moon glowed between runes on the floor, moving and spinning like clockwork. His eyes immediately went to his other half, and half a conversation transpired through their meeting glances…

' _Let the words form on your lips, magic will guide you…'_ the witch nodded, raising her wand and waiting for him to start.

The words came to his lips then "The _Dark,_ I command you to appear before me, release!"

And along his voice, there was Violet's. "The _Light,_ I command you… appear before me, release!"

The grin sporting on their faces could be considered dangerous as magic dutifully coalesced around their foci, at the same time, forming a summoning circle without any other form of incantation or effort.

The two cards formed together, since they need balance – one couldn't exist without the other – both took forms based on Clow's drawings, assuming females shape.

Light was fair and dressed in a white sorceress' dress highly decorated by gems and black lace, with long curling hair and a western doll like face. Her eyes were facsimiles made of magic, absorbing light and appearing as endless black holes. On her collarbone was the mark of the sun, image mirrored on the back of her hands.

Dark was the exact opposite of Light… her hair was black and straight – she was dressed similarly to her counterpart, but for the inverted color scheme and the moon around her neck instead of the sun. Her face looked eastern and harder.

"Perfect" The sorcerer purred in satisfaction, smiling brightly at the two cards and taking Violet's hand. The witch was also vibrating in excitement; this is something she's never seen before. "Give them a command, my dear"

' _Let us see what they can do'_ Clow thought, gazing lovingly down at his witch when she grinned up at him. The magical cost to summon the cards went as expected, as did the continuous drain they were feeling. Now to test how the cards would work.

"What can you do?" Violet asked instead, directing the question at the duo of contrasting women.

Surpassing Clow's expectations and making his heart soar with love for his creations; Light tilted her head to the side and regarded the witch thoughtfully for a moment or two, before smiling brightly and answering in a wispy, ethereal voice both genderless and gentle. " _Your hearts shines so brightly my lady; it can eclipse the sun itself… I am glad to be born from your light, sister and I will do everything in our power to satisfy anything you ask… I grant you and my lord Light Magic. I can bring forth the sun through the darkest of nights and in battle I cannot be harmed by physical means. My weakness is that without sister I cannot exist"_

Dark nodded next, hand grasping onto Light's as she spoke in soft, lilting words " _The darkness that surrounds has surrendered itself to you my lord. Though you have walked through the shadowed path you have found light, and without light darkness cannot be, so I grant you and my lady Dark Magic. I can bring forth the night through the brightest of days and in battle I cannot be harmed by physical means"_

' _More than expected, better even…'_ Clow smiled back at the duo, his expression of fondness and excitement mirrored by his witch. They had a long day ahead of them getting to know all the cards.

…

That night as Violet curled tiredly against her sorcerer, she asked something that has been plaguing her mind since the beginning. A niggling feeling needling her ever since Clow told her about his plans. Or perhaps she should address them as _former_ plans.

"There is more, isn't there? This doesn't stop with the cards… even if we were to master using them, it would take _weeks_ to do so, so they can't be everything you've thought of to protect me" The witch speculated wearily.

' _It just wouldn't be practical… though the cards work wonderfully as a shortcut to practicing sorcery, Clow wouldn't trade a throughout education for a crutch, no matter how powerful it is… and it would take time to teach me how to wield a weapon so I can work in tandem with the cards… they_ _ **were**_ _designed with battle situations in mind after all'_

Clow nodded, shifting so he could grab Violet by the waist and pull her underneath his body, caging the witch with his arms and entwining their legs together. Violet's breath left her in a whoosh, and she used the opportunity to lace her arms through her sorcerer's slim torso and palm at his back, hand sinking lower and lower until she could feel and trace the curve of his very nice bum.

"There _is_ more" The sorcerer growled in her ear "But we can talk about that when we're not so magically drained" He finished, meeting his witch halfway into a kiss that soon was drawing moans out of a flushed Violet.

"Agreed" Her voice sounded out breathy and needy, mind already occupied with other _thoughts_ beyond what fun they had that day playing with the cards. Seeing how his witch was, indeed, completely convinced, one of Clow's hands moved to brace his weight, while the other was slowly pulling Violet's camisole up. "I need to feel you" She whispered hoarsely, and the sorcerer understood her need _'I don't want you to disappear'_

Next thing to go were his own robes – Violet didn't care where she tossed them, only that without clothes covering her sorcerer she had undiluted access to his skin – her lips departed from his wetly, then they were trailing down his neck to track biting kisses all over his chest. Clow trembled above her, and she could feel the proof of his own desire curling hotly against her belly from beneath his drawstring pants. The urge to touch him was growing with every beat of her heart… she wanted _him._ His flesh, their heart beating as one…

Clow idled for a couple of seconds, simply enjoying Violet's bold movements before he descended on her as well. First was a kiss to her right ear, then a tongue to the pulse of her neck, followed by kisses down her collarbone until his face was between her heaving breasts. The witch protested when he moved downwards, but clenched her hands on his hair, expecting that he'd attack her breasts like he did last time. He didn't.

Consistently moving downwards, the sorcerer found the dip of her bellybutton, causing pleasurable shivers to run down Violet's back and pool somewhere between her thighs.

Muscles inside her belly clenched, aching in need and painful emptiness. "Clow...?" Violet gasped when she felt her panties being dragged down the length of her legs to scrunch around shaking ankles – powerful and quite masculine shoulders budged between her knees, parting them to either side of a very smug looking sorcerer – his hair unbound and silkily framing the utterly debauched smirk he was sending up at her, eyes already a shiny pool of liquid silver.

Anticipation ran down her spine like a lightning bolt, at the same time as embarrassment made the witch want to curl away from her lover. Her center exposed to his greedy eyes was thrilling and frightening at the same time, but it was a delicious sort of fear.

Embarrassment went away, however, when her lover began worshiping her lower half with such devout and loving attention that all she could do was frantically cry out his name between warbled begs. Her thighs clenched around his neck, trying to pull him closer while the last shreds of sanity left in Violet told her not to pull so much on his hair – she decided to surrender her hold entirely and grasped at the headboard instead, allowing her body to follow its natural instincts.

This time the buildup was slower. The embers stoked with every stroke of his tongue, every thrust of his fingers and the warmth of his breath over sensitive skin – But when the fire did catch, it exploded both around and inside of her – drowning Violet in pleasure for what felt like an eternity and making her body feel complete.

Violet and Clow's bond lit up in a burst powerful enough to make motes of light and dark sparkle in the air for a few seconds. And when she was capable of coherent speech again, the witch turned to her self-satisfied lover "I want to do this for you too…" So she decided to swallow any protests he might have with a heated kiss _'Why would he protest?!'_

Her thoughts swirled indignantly until her lips met his, the taste of her pleasure warm and heady, exploding in her mouth and leaving the witch wanting him even more. "You don't have to, Violet"

"I _want_ to" Violet told him boldly, pushing Clow up and rolling around so their position inverted – now she had him beneath her, sprawling her hands around his chest, neck and stomach, touching and mapping his skin, committing every dip and plane into memory.

And then, mimicking his earlier actions, the witch was kissing her way down his torso until she was met with the dark hairs just above the line of his pants, the hot, curling flesh pulsing for attention under her questing, inexperienced hands. She could feel their bond thrum and tremble, a veritable storm of _heat_ and _light_ transmitting between them – his pleasure was her own and vice versa – so Violet had a cheat and a lot of clues as to what she could do.

Unlacing the strings keeping his pants snug against his hips, the witch felt one of Clow's hand rest lightly against her head, caressing and combing through the tangled curls – her lover was male, and the sign of it strained out of its previous bindings when she pulled down, reaching out to her – turgid and swollen.

It isn't as if Violet never seen a naked male before – she did spend some time living with a number of careless boys – And Sirius had a particular difficulty remembering he shared the house with _people_ and was not in Azkaban anymore – so she's lost the count of how many times she, Hermione or Ginny found themselves getting an eyeful of Sirius Black's shiny, wet bum before he learned to lock doors after himself.

This situation was completely different. For one, she didn't feel like jumping their bones just because they accidently flashed her… and another is because _Love_ , ardent and passionate, made her very blood sing in deep satisfaction at seeing Clow so vulnerable and yet virile.

With a nervous lick to her lips, Violet ignored her inhibitions and reached out to touch him with a hand, feeling the thin, silky texture of the skin of his cock, how blood flowed and pulsed just inside his veins and arteries, and the starting flashes of pleasure at her simplest touch flood their bond in earnest. Fascinated and filled with _need_ , the witch's other hand joined in getting acquaintance with her lover's anatomy in a gentle exploration that soon had her hungry for _more_.

Without thinking too much about it, Violet's tongue dashed out of her mouth, questing upward the length of straining flesh until the bulging mushroom head, her feminine pride swelling when Clow's throat let out a long moan and his hands stilled on her hair. Emboldened by his veritably _positive_ reactions, the witch we her lips and then went down his shaft, kissing and licking and sucking at intervals, using both hands and mouth to pleasure him gaining feedback from the bond on what was more pleasurable.

"Violet!" He gritted out between clenched teeth, obviously trying not to tug on her hair in demand as well, she felt a growing urgency growing inside of the sorcerer not unlike her own, so Violet took his generous member deeper into her mouth, applying pressure and tongue, blowing out and moving her hands to feel the rest of him "Vio- If you don't stop using your mo-outh, I will come inside of-" the sorcerer's breath hitched, his muscled thighs trembled as did his belly – his spine became taut and then he did tug on her hair to dislodge her stubborn mouth from him, not wanting the witch to be uncomfortable with something she wasn't used to.

' _This is mine'_ her thoughts resolved possessively around this single fact as she worked with greedy diligence on his pleasure – feeling his flesh pulse hotly and his resolve crumble, Violet felt his own completion coming before it actually did. Her lips slackened around her lover, and she waited with baited anxiousness for him to explode in her mouth.

The taste was vaguely unpleasant, but not unbearable. The fact that she caused her sorcerer to come like that made her feel wonderful, beautiful and wanted – so she could ignore the weird texture and the taste of his release if it meant a reward bigger than physical satisfaction. "Violet… you were amazing, thank you"

Violet preened, still watching in amazement as what before was stiff, proud flesh wilted in her hands as needs were sated. She didn't have time to contemplate what she just did further, because Clow was pulling her up to a toe curling kiss – his magic a veil of darkness as it pressed on them, cleaning and soothing nerves leaving only tingly pleasure.

"I love you" The witch told Clow, cuddling up on his side and being cradled by his arms.

"I love you" Her sorcerer reciprocated.

And they went to sleep basking in each other.

XxxxXxxxX

…

TBC~

Extra note:  
1) Dear holy ham… even I was blushing in embarrassment and for some reason I feel like a pervert.. D:  
2) On another side, more goodness!  
3) Ooh.. Another outrageously long chapter. I could have cut up, but then it'd make things awkward. So yeah.. longer chapter!


	30. Part XXVII

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 27)

XxxxXxxxX

Violet could get used to waking up beside her sorcerer.

His warmth permeated the air, and she discovered that she grew clinger in sleep – an arm and both legs were thrown over her lover, and she was pressed against his back as her face burrowed between his shoulder and neck. _'Of course he isn't complaining'_ the witch thought dryly, feeling Clow's long fingers drifting up and down her right calf in a relatively sedate caress.

"Clow…?" Violet called hesitantly, pushing back slightly against his back.

Said sorcerer craned his neck so he could stare at her with lazy amusement. "Yes love?"

A shiver of pleasure traveled down her spine, making each of her limbs tingle pleasantly. _'I will never get used to hearing that!'_ the witch wondered, love blooming like a flower in her chest and undoubtedly echoing through their bond. "We need to wake up… it must be very late already" she remarked, looking at the light spilling in from the windows.

"You must be correct" Clow told Violet, enjoying her flustered state for a few more minutes before rising.

In all his naked glory.

' _The shameless prat! He is showing off!'_ Violet's thoughts stilled to a halt as all cognitive functions of her brain decided to vacate down her circulatory system. _'But oh… he's glorious to look at, isn't he?'_ Her heart agreed vehemently with a jump.

His tall shape positively glowed under the natural morning light – pale skin marred only by her more enthusiastic kisses the night before – they peppered around his wide shoulders to his neck. Magic clung to Clow like an ethereal cloak, making all his edges more dangerous, and all his planes seem sharper.

"You had to throw my robes so carelessly… now it's all creased" the sorcerer had the courage to tease Violet. Both in words and in action as he leaned down to pick up said robe she's aware went somewhere over her head when she pulled out of him the night before.

The witch enjoyed the show he willingly presented, feeling her temperature rise… until what he said registered and her mind coughed back into awareness.

Clearing her throat, Violet glared without heat – the effect completely lost when her face was all flushed "Thankfully you won't be wearing that the entire day" she returned, glad her voice agreed and didn't falter even once. Her sorcerer smiled in amusement, waving a hand toward the closet as magic sparked in his fingers, and making his usual outfit float out perfectly pressed.

"Of course not… but you might want to find something else to wear if you want to leave these rooms today" Clow said with amusement, his eyes glinting with an otherworldly glee "Or you might want to start keeping some of your clothes in there…" He motioned pointedly to the still opened closet.

' _So that's his plan!'_ Violet crossed her arm in answer, not at all objecting to his suggestion, but still feeling slightly embarrassed. She didn't care what people said anyway – her worry was about her own sanity.

So in return, the witch reached for her wand on the nightstand beside her side of the bed, and transfigured her own discarded camisole into a simple dress. _'It will do until I reach my room and have the chance to bath and change!'_ Clow didn't wait for her to summon the piece of clothing; he helpfully picked it up for her from where it laid on the floor and handed it over – a very nice smile on his lips.

Smiling back, Violet threw the transfigured dress over her head, sighing in relief.

Right on time as well.

For not a moment later came a knock on the door. The sorcerer looked at Violet, seeing her raised hand for time – he waited until she was done using her wand to style her hair in a semblance of order – Clow himself forgoing brushing _his_ and letting the long, silken strands rest freely over a shoulder. _'He doesn't have Potter curls!'_

When she was done, the sorcerer walked over the sitting room and opened the door, with Violet peeking through the door to the bedroom itself. Katya stood on the other side, a breakfast tray in hand.

' _Oh…'_

The students of the house usually shared a breakfast table, and though Violet received her own in bed, she still blushed a thousand and one shades of red when Katya inevitably asked.

"Should I bring mistress' tea to master's rooms from now on?" Was what the matronly maid questioned with a straight face, the only thing betraying her mask of blasé professionalism? – The mad twinkle in her narrowed brown eyes.

Katya always portrayed herself as a severe, no nonsense kind of person, so Violet was indeed shocked to realize that her plight offered amusement to the older woman. Were the witch anyone else, she'd have been offended. As it is, the green eyed woman is more than a little embarrassed. Clow was as amused as the maid, for he chuckled warmly under his breath and nodded in consent to the question.

"For another day or two, at least" He said, alluding to the fact that they had yet to catch the one behind the attack on Violet.

At least Katya was discreet.

…

The same couldn't be said about the students.

It wasn't hard to see how much Clow and Violet's relationship changed.

For the couple of days they've been back from China, it was obvious to anyone who witnessed their interactions that something _shifted_.

Violet didn't mind the curious, and even perhaps _disdainful_ looks she's been receiving that day – any day which started with an eyeful of the sorcerer's simply gorgeous bum promised to be weird. Admittedly, that was the first time she's been privy to the view, often catching a peek or two of said bum whenever he turned his back, and it was through layers of clothes.

So laying on a bench around the fountain, simply enjoying this beginning summer's breezes and thinking back on her day so far – Violet has promised herself she wouldn't go overboard with magic, feeling the built up fatigue from a day of compensation dues. _'Thank Merlin I've reached my magical maturity last year'_ because it would be inhumanly worse if her powers were still immature.

And Clow… well _'A week's time travel to China, and a couple of days spent on leisure made quite a pile of paperwork he has to take a look at'_ the witch, from spending so much time around Clow, knew a bit about his income.

There were a number of rental contracts and agreements from a couple of properties around both Europe and Asia – living so long and having wandering parents, made sure the Reed family amassed a large amount of land. The sorcerer himself didn't have a particularly good head for business, so he _did_ have a party of solicitors, a friendly attorney and a barrister to take care of legalities – of which there were plenty.

Aside from properties and land, Clow penned a number of books under multiple names over recent decades and owned a large orchard near Cambridge.

Violet has come to understand that her sorcerer was actually against Industrial growth, he'd argue with her when she'd point out the wonders of the Telly and telephone. _"Industry takes out of the artist's hand the production of something… it is in the artist that magic lives, so something borne of cold machines can never match the wonders of a true crafter's labor"_ And was an avid fan of artists such as William Morris, having met in Oxford.

And then the witch would come up with counterarguments, giving start to a conversation that left both deeply satisfied and entertained for hours. _"Handcrafts are too expensive for the poorer population… industry makes necessities cheaper and accessible to everyone, plus all the wonderful new inventions that come out every day!"_

Violet yawned on her bench, soaking up whatever sunlight managed to stream through the curtain of clouds – her hair was a mess – since her bath a couple of hours ago, she hasn't bothered with tying it up, letting the curls dry naturally around her shoulders.

"You're not calling him Master anymore" A shadow hovered above her head obstructing precious sunlight. The witch's eyes cracked open a slit, and the first thing she saw was a halo of blond curls just as messy as hers.

"Charlotte" the green eyed woman greeted blandly, before blinking up and sitting properly on the bench. Charlotte understood the silent invitation and sat down beside her, hurrying to remove her shoes and soak up her feet inside the fountain's water pool. "No… I suppose I'm not" Violet allowed tightly, uneasy swirling in her stomach.

Charlotte grinned with amusement, before her eyes narrowed "It isn't proper, you're his apprentice!" she scolded lightly "You know what I wouldn't do to be chosen as apprentice?"

' _I will bet the answer to that is_ _ **everything**_ ' Violet thought, gritting her teeth as anger bubbled under her skin as the other insinuated _something_. _'Merlin! What is this girl thinking?!'_

"Well, not really, and my relationship with Clow is our business, not anyone else's" the witch had to hold herself back from snapping. The blonde's blue eyes sharpened as all wry humor left them.

"Oh! So there _is_ a relationship!" She crowed sharply, crossing her arms "Are you visiting his bed at night? I don't blame you; I'd warm everything of his if he asked me to!" the sneer was what got to Violet the most – green eyes positively glowed with power as she glared at the blonde.

"None… of your business" The witch told her firmly, keeping Charlotte pinned under the force of her glare for half a minute more before she rose from her seat and strode back to the manor.

XxxxxXxxxxX

"If I drink this…" Her hands enclosed around a small crystal flask filled with a burgundy liquid. Her brother has sent it to her through one of his acquaintances in Cambridge, and she's picked it up that morning.

' _Confirming what I already knew from Violet herself… I need to hurry before Teacher decides to kick everyone out of the manor… he already has a magically powerful lover, getting a heir from her is the next logical step'_ And then he'd never chose a mere student over his own flesh and blood… _'Xiao Ling doesn't matter, not anymore… but perhaps she'll have some more uses'_

Her magic surged, connecting to the mirror and sustaining it. It didn't take as much as it did when she first learned this type of magic from her family's library – she had a lot more control now, than she had then – It was still costly enough that the effort left her breathless.

Her brother's image formed behind the mirror. His long blond hair framing a face very similar to her own, only his eyes were brown instead of blue. "This potion will make you look like whoever's blood is mixed in it"

' _Anton is a master of his field and father disinherited him for what? For marrying the woman he loves!? And big sister, marrying that disgusting pig just to keep the name in the family and title of heir… I will not be like them. Folding like wet paper under the elders' wishes…'_

A voice that didn't betray any of her inner turmoil sounded light and clear, cheerful even. "Thank you, brother"

But Anton could read her like no other, even when he always turned a blind eye to her antics "Char… what are you planning? I thought you were studying under master Reed" He was always her favorite brother, the only one who'd give her time out of his day and listen to her troubles.

' _Little Char is never good enough. She's not as smart as Anton, not as powerful as Amelie. What can poor Charlotte do?'_ Her tongue felt like lead in her mouth ' _Throw her to that upstart magician, Reed… he might be able to teach her something useful… well, there is always a chance he will have little Char as apprentice'_

"I am. This is to help me with some self-study" She blinked, breathing heavily. Willing Anton to see only what he wanted to. That's what people always did anyway.

"If you say so. Let us talk another time, I know how tiring it is for you to hold a connection for this long" She knew he didn't mean to sound so _patronizing_ … _'It hurt to be looked down on, bit brother. But don't worry; it won't matter for much longer. I have a plan, you see?'_

"No matter Anton. I might not be a good thaumaturgist, but mirror magic comes easily to me" She said instead of something scathing. She still needed Anton, and didn't want to alienate him to her cause. _'He is my favorite brother'_ she reminded herself. _'Don't feel jealous of perfect Anton, who threw the perfect life away for the woman he loves'_

Anton's brown eyes creased with worry. It warmed her heart at the same time as it made her taste ashes in her mouth "However easy it is, your magic pool is not infinite. Fare well, little sister"

"Anton…"

The red liquid glinted under the lamp light as she bent the flask to inspect it further. _'Shame Xiao Ling didn't want part in this… I think I will have all the fun on my own'_

XxxxXxxxX

Violet's head felt heavy. Her thoughts turned sluggish and her eyes ached.

' _Maybe I didn't get enough sleep'_ the witch wondered at the sudden fatigue, a faint alarm going off inside of her but being ignored as an even larger part of her felt so tired, so spent. Lethargy made her consciousness slow, halting in process and forgoing deeper thoughts for immediate ones.

' _Where can I lay down for a kip?'_ The library sofa was chosen.

The last thing she saw was Xiao Ling, admiring her own image in a hand held mirror.

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~

Note:  
1) Back to shorter chapters…  
2) Dundundun! What's Char's plan?


	31. Part XXVIII

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 28)

The mirror throbbed once, pulsing out purple miasma as it swallowed light.

"It is done now… Only a matter of time" Xiao Ling's flushed lips twisted up in a smile that didn't sit well on her face – the smile wasn't reflected in the mirror.

'Let me out now! You have what you want!' The face shown in the luminously clear surface of the mirror was shouting, cheeks pale and eyes red rimmed. The image was exhausted, skin tone washing out into a sad gray and hair losing luster. 'Get out of my body!'

"No, I don't think I will leave just yet. You see, this body still has its uses" Xiao Ling told her reflection, smile turning into a smirk.

'Why don't you use your own?!' Ahh… Why, indeed?

"Because right now it is very busy absorbing Miss Potter's powers… it is going to take an awful while, so I've made myself this puppet to play around with"

'Ugh!' The mirror pulsed again, an angry beat that spilled even more noxious clouds.

…

Fire is passion.

Fire is light.

Fire is life.

Fire is destruction.

Fire is rebirth.

And Fire was telling him a very interesting tale.

Despite coming from a Fire forged elemental clan which specialized in combat and warfare, his mother – born Rosa Zelante – from an Italian family that also had fire in their veins. The Zelante family were small and kept to themselves, and like many other clans, guarded their crafts very close to themselves.

Rosa Zelante married into the de Parole family – a deal worked out between her father and her fiancé, who wanted a bride forged from fire so their children would also contain it in their blood.

At first quite against her will, Rosa came to enjoy her new family, though being kept at arms' length for years to avoid the possibility that she'd spy on behalf of her father. It obviously didn't happen. Rosa took her new role as matriarch quite seriously as the family's magic agreed with her.

She was also very careful to educate her children in _her_ original family's crafts, with the possibility of infuriating her father, uncles and brothers. Rosa didn't care for what they thought… they _sold_ her for the highest bidder, outcaste from her birth home in Sicily, having to learn a new language just so she could communicate with her _husband_. None of her children would grow up without at least having the chance to learn her forefathers' craft.

Alexander didn't care for _'girly'_ arts. He'd rather learn the sword and battle-crafts. Negotiation, politics, economy, war… her eldest son thought he didn't need his mother's knowledge – it would add nothing to him.

Fernando, her third born wanted to follow his eldest brother's footsteps. So he chased the same tutors, handled the same swords and hit the same targets.

Helena… Helena, her little girl. With her chocolate brown hair and olive skin, her only daughter and fourth child – Helena knew that her only worth in her father's eyes was as a commodity, something he'd use to trade favors with one of his allies. So she grew up to be a perfect woman, and by the time Rosa thought to teach the girl anything magic related, the girl refused the knowledge, settling for lessons related to the house and defensive household spells.

Now Eduardo… the second son, the spare. Rosa Zelante's pride and joy… not only because out of all her children he looked like her the _most_ , with his thick curly hair and deep brown eyes that looked like ember licked ambers whenever fire lifted his spirit – he was also the son her husband delegated for her – the only son who agreed to learn what she had to teach.

Oh, and she had so much to teach.

For thousands of years, her ancestors have been keeping the _Palici_ alive by stocking an eternal flame in Adranus' stomach by Mount Etna's foot in Hybla, which became Paternò. Later, when the Greek spread, the _Palici_ became sons of Zeus and Aetna, though still honored as navigation and agricultural deities their origin was flames.

From using ashes of a sacred fire to bless plantations, to the remnants of the prophetess line of Delphi - using volcanic fumes to predict the future. The technic has been cultivated over the years and the use upgraded from noxious lethal fumes to harmless incense smoke.

Rosa Zelante mastered an accompanying art related to fire.

And she taught that to her second son.

So there Eduardo stood, his room – how did he still manage to keep his room when he knew Teacher should have kicked him out.

 _"You were caught in a nasty enchantment while training today"_ Teacher told him, eyes dangerous _"Someone used your body to attack Miss Potter, although we've been able to remove the spell, there are certain side effects you will have to deal with"_

 _.._

 _"Not at all. It wasn't your fault; I don't blame you at all. All we wanted was to make sure you were all right after what we've been through"_ The apprentice said back to him when he apologized.

Twice.

Two times in as little as a month's interval that apprentice Potter covered for him. She's had the chance to damn him… the first time was his fault, as much as he'd want to blame her… he lost his temper and wanted to intimidate the insufferable baseborn who thought she could do all she wanted and curse her betters with embarrassing extra body parts. It took the entire day for him to undo that focus-less spell of hers.

And then she had to stand between him and Clow Reed – who was leaking his dangerous aura all over the place and promising retribution at the apprentice's least sign of distress.

 _"Just a misunderstanding. We both lost our tempers and got away with ourselves, I'm sorry Master, it won't happen again"_ She said then. Disarming the situation and allowing him – who lost his temper and was about to do something so ridiculously stupid he'd most likely deserve the punishment he got – to get out with a slap on the wrist, if even that.

Why did she help him? Did she want something from him? Did she think he'd own her? Not likely. He thought himself above such plebe. But then she did it again… and in this instance, what was in the line was her _life._

' _She has power… if not control'_ He grudgingly admitted to himself. Violet Potter is a powerful magician in her own right, and though he still thought the likes of her undeserving being taught magic, he _understood_ Clow Reed's motivations about taking her in.

 _'He took her from the storm… he went outside that day when rain started falling… lightning cut the skies and a few minutes later Teacher was coming back into the manor with that woman in his arms… the smell of ozone clung to her for a while, it was plain to see… why didn't I?'_

He's thought for a while that she might be the bastard child of a Family… but then, no family would let her _go_ if it meant all that power stayed within their blood. Violet Potter was bathed in power – turbulent and light, coursing beneath her skin.

 _'And she's Clow Reed's apprentice'_ that on itself said something huge about the woman that he wasn't able to see before.

Clow Reed was like a wild force of nature. No one could predict where he'd strike next, his movements were his own and he owned nothing to anyone. The Master Sorcerer's tale was dark and no one really knew where he came from… One day, he was there razing to the ground a number of families and then dictating the rules for the next centuries even when he disappeared for half of them.

The Sorcerer has power, was already three hundred years old and yet looked to be in his thirties – an indicative of his power levels – more than anyone in the _millennium. 'The last sorcerer to have that much power and who lived a long life was Methuselah, owner of the Sword of Methuselah, slayer of evil and ghosts…'_

Clow Reed could take care of himself. He didn't need Eduardo to take offense on his behalf, nor did he need Eduardo to pick childish fights with his _chosen_ apprentice. He chose Violet Potter for a _reason_.

It took a while for him to understand. But he _did_ now.

The fire told him. Apolo's flames burned in the sun radiating heat, light and prophecy. Rosa Zelante might be a bitter woman now, after her husband for whom she was given denounced her for a younger girl barely out of her diapers... but she had reason to be confident in her skills.

 _'I've never been able to see Violet Potter in the flames before…'_

 _'Why can I see her now?'_

Something was very, _very_ wrong.

XxxxXxxxX

The presence was muted.

An echo, as if coming from far away…

That caught Clow's attention immediately. His _sight_ went inwards and searched through his precious bond with his other half. Still there, but echoing, crying out and part of it was reaching like a drowning man looking for salvation. _'Violet!'_ His thoughts tumbled into a jarred web of confusion.

Violet was _there_ , but she was in distress. It was enough to urge him into action.

 _'Where are you'_ The sorcerer was out of his office and down the corridors of his manor, remembering to pick up the cards and activating with a brief switch of his will all his land's defenses. If there was an intruder, they wouldn't be getting _out_. And if Violet was hurt in anyway… The cards in his grasp were also singing, the same demented note that could be found in Violet's presence in the ether.

That made his blood turn to ice. At the same time as an indescribable fury licked at the insides of his stomach and almost overwhelmed all reason. _'Whoever or whatever is responsible for this…'_

"C-clow, what?" Her hair was still dark and copper colored. Her eyes were still green, shining like emeralds under the lights coming from the window. Her cheeks pale and lips rosy – She looked fine. No signs of distress anywhere… _'But our bond is screaming…!'_ Distress curled in his chest, fear and anger making hard to breathe.

But she was right _there._ All her light and presence telling him she was _fine_. The bond was stressed, telling him that somewhere in the Library his other half was _hurting_. Yet here he was and she was fine.

Violet was curled on the sofa she's claimed in the library with a book in hand. Her gaze was trailed on him, studying his form with a keen interest. Clow took a moment to regain his calm before speaking "Did something happen?" He asked slowly, measuring the words and trying to convey his feelings through the bond. It sputtered and flayed – the bond was _breaking_. It _hurt_.

"Nothing that I know of" Violet answered equally as carefully, putting down her book and rising to her feet. She inched closer to him, reaching with a hand to grasp his own. Clow had to resist the urge to flinch back away from her. "Clow… what is going on?"

His teeth gritted. _'How can she not **feel** it? It is burning me from the inside out'_ the backlash of magic swirling around their connection was straining. She should be able to feel it with her understanding of their connection.

"You… are disappearing" The sorcerer told the witch, the words leaving an ashy taste in his mouth. Green eyes widened as fright took over her face. Violet lunged forward to embrace him, and Clow took her in his arms, burying his nose in her hair.

"I'm not… I am right here; you can feel me, can't you? You know I'm here in your arms"

 _A fixture extended. Cracked._

 _He saw himself wearing a crown and kingly robes. The time lines folded like tissue paper at his will… ever since he's mastered dimension travel his reach could now touch other worlds._

 _A winged lion and an owl. Birds of a feather. His creations and guardians. He was planning on waking them up soon, but was not prepared to see Cerberus' face forever frozen in the book, and Yui's wings sealed in the full moon. Darkness seeped through the seams of his vision…_

 _… and then it was over._

…

Somewhere between planes of existence, in a place created solely as a prison, someone writhed and twisted in pain, screaming and begging in equal measures.

It hurt. It tore. It felt like she was being burned alive – energy sapped out of her with her every breath, torturously grating as it did _not_ want to leave its original source.

…

Xiao Ling winced with every scream. She also felt pain in this realm, but not as much – she didn't understand why the other was in so much duress, but she did not like it.

"Calm down! Listen for a moment! I know it must be hard, but just let me help you" The young battle mage had no hands with which to reach to the other, and the other herself was just a ball of light – they were all energy in this prison made to contain them.

"I can't! I hurts so bad!" Oh… that voice. That presence. Xiao Ling knows who it is.

"Violet Potter" Her voice shook the ether. Violet's light throbbed, getting smaller and dimmer. "You are being drained…!" the other never answered, limiting herself to another scream. "If you're also here then that bitch's plan is…"

"I know it hurts, Miss Potter – no, Violet… but you should know why it does hurt so much… this is no ordinary mirror… the one who enchanted this is using it to store our consciousness, or souls" Xiao Ling explained, seeing Violet's light shimmer and tremble as if holding its form together. "It is purposely draining our magic… but the effect on you is being twice as hard as it was on me, and you are in greater pain… why?"

"My… bond… with him… is breaking!" _Bond…_

A lot made sense, then… the Chinese magician found the superior level of understanding not as satisfying as she thought… "Your bond with Clow… is breaking. That's why it hurts so much… Violet… I am so sorry"

The chains holding them in this place were strong. So strong that Xiao Ling hasn't been able to break them. But now she had company…

"The one who imprisoned us here is after our magic… but she never me out even after draining me of power and will, and commandeering my body… I won't last more than a few more days, and the way you are, I think you don't have more than a few hours" A broken bond was traumatizing enough when it happened naturally. Forced breaks like what Violet was going through had to be _crippling_. "We have to get out of here… you need to get over your pain, if you don't, _she_ is going after Clow"

Tortured light stilled. A sense of determination wrecked through it even as it shivered in pain. Mental fortitude of that caliber was… hard to come across… and all it took to kindle it was mentioning Clow in danger… If the situation wasn't so dire, Xiao Ling would have laughed.

After having broken down in tears.

…

 _Violet had to get out._

 _Never mind that she felt as if she was being pulled in all directions at once, losing bits and pieces of herself at every second that passes. That didn't matter as much as the sight of the crumbling bond did._

 _If she had eyes, she'd be weeping, trying her best to hold the wisps together, tied to that other brilliant presence at the other side._

"We have to get out of here… you need to get over your pain, if you don't, _she_ is going after Clow"

 _The familiar one said, desperation coloring her presence. Violet understood the need to rush, but as another wave of agony wrecked through her, she had to struggle to keep the will to fight alive._

 _Clow is **hers**. She's decided to leave her past behind for him. He's given up his future. Her soul bound to his. Light and dark… _

"I am… not… letting that… h-happen"

With the remainder of her forces, Light exploded all around them.

…


	32. Part XXIX

The Crow  
(Third Arc: Another World)  
(Part 29)

"He's out" 'Violet' said out loud musingly. "Who'd have thought a broken bond would affect him this much? Entirely for the better…" Her hands hovered above the sorcerer's pale, pained face. Who would have thought his fall would come from the inside out?

Magic flared under her skin as it came in contact with his – white, pearlescent hues of magic traveling between them. Remnants of the familiarity he had with Violet's magic and their bond, which was flooded with it.

' _Violet has light magic… a very large pool of it… no wonder she snubbed me! Even a no name like her could snatch Clow Reed with such a great potential!'_ Envy made her blood boil. The same blood that was tethering her current face rebelled – it made her chest convulse for a moment as nausea rose.

For that moment, until she managed to calm down, copper colored curls waned into black.

"Even her face dislikes me" The doppelganger told the fainted sorcerer. The trauma of his bond with Violet braking affecting him to this point could only mean one thing "Not that she has a choice anymore, she's just ceased to exist"

' _Time to dump this body and get my own…'_ It must be teeming with magic, from both the upstart Li and the stupid apprentice. Once she had her own body, she could decide what to do with Clow.

…

He's been following the trail of ashes, fire guiding him through the darkened corridors. _'I've never come through here'_ His steps never faltered. There were no shadows his flames couldn't erase.

Eduardo was first and foremost a battle mage.

But that doesn't limit what he can do. Fire ran in his blood, he descended from Hephaestus himself, from Aetna – and his mother wouldn't let that go to waste, so she taught him how to use fire to heal, purify, to read portents and to _defend._ Magicians usually think fire element was limited to battle.

How wrong they are.

Eduardo del Parole knew how to use fire for more than burning people. He knew how to _track_ them as well – such as he's been doing ever since the moment he's noticed how _visible_ Violet Potter became. _'She was a black hole… no, more like a sun… she eclipsed and burned the_ _ **sight**_ _of everyone who sought her. Not even fire could reach her, and then it could…'_ Something must have happened to her.

And it wasn't that he _cared_. He didn't hate her personally, not anymore, not after coming to the realization that he's misjudged Violet Potter so violently he became blind – all because the chit defended him twice without thought of profit for herself – it made him think. And think he did.

' _I own her'_ was the conclusion he came. He still hated that fact, but not the apprentice. _'She is not Eldora'_ It stung. To realize his own feelings could be distorted and used against him to the point where he was _caught in a mirror trap_.

So he used fire to stoke a sacred flame through prayer, and used the ashes produced to ask a question… _'Where is Violet Potter'_

And the ashes answered.

' _Speaking of…'_ the ashes' trail stopped in front of a door. _'Found you'_

Brown hair swept in front of his eyes and immediately stuck to his sweaty brow. Annoyed, the mage angrily wiped it with his wrist, letting the cloth of his long sleeved shirt absorb the moisture. The door was nondescript as he expected, and covered from top to bottom in protective barriers.

' _Fire can be used for more than battle'_ Eduardo thought smugly, letting flames lash out from his body, destructive in nature, they sought something to consume. Dismantling wards by burning their anchors was unusual and hard – one had to have selective control of what their flames fed upon, and his control was top notch – so it didn't take more than a few minutes for the barriers around the door to shudder and collapse, their base having turned to nothingness.

' _Now, locks…'_ He usually just melted those. And the door's handle and lock dripped down in a sizzling pool, leaving scathing trail marks on the wood and solidifying once connecting to the floor's cool tiles.

With a final push, the door was open.

' _A room… should have seen that coming'_ the sneer on his face became more pronounced when he realized just _who_ the room belonged to _._ It wasn't a hard conclusion to make, since there were _pictures_ and mirrors scattered on every available surface. _'Vain little bitch'_

There was a large four poster bed with the curtains closed in green pastel colors, a fluffy carpet at the foot of the bed and a spacious closet with a door slightly open, revealing a collection of trending dresses.

The urge to set fire to everything rose, and it was with hesitance that the fire mage squashed it. He had to find Violet Potter first and foremost.

In the end, he really didn't need to.

"What do you think you're doing!?" The screech came before a hand tried to shove him hard. A head of blonde hair occupied his vision, and Eduardo didn't wait for another chance. Heating the air around him was easy and very satisfactory when his assailant yelped and let go of his forearm, hands blistering and red. " _Merde! Connard!"_

"It is I who should ask you that question" The Spaniard growled, igniting even more of his magic so it turned into a white hot halo around him.

"You used to be such an _une bonne marionette_ " The blonde snapped angrily, arms moving up, showing him his reflection in a small hand held mirror. "Why don't you _reviens_ back home?"

The tug was immediate. A suction unlike anything he's felt before took hold of his magic, creating a mini-storm of fire and smoke as his powers were swallowed by the mirror.

' _You used to be such a good puppet… why don't you come back home?'_ If she thought she'd catch him twice with the same trick, the bitch was sorely mistaken.

" _Je parle aussi français, vache_ " He taunted "And now I know for certain you had something to do with the attempt at Potter's life the other night" His voice dripped with contempt. "You locked my will away in one of those mirrors, and used me as a cover!"

In answer to his accusations, Charlotte Dubois just laughed. Her clear blue eyes shining with a silver lining underneath, making dread pool in Eduardo' stomach. _'She's never been so magically powerful… where is this sudden power coming from…'_ The blonde pushed forth the mirror, upping the suction of his own flames. His magic flagged, sputtering like a dying amber but not giving up – this time he was better prepared to resist.

"Give up now! After this night, the title of most powerful will belong to me anyway! Do you have any idea of how much power that _grace_ Violet had? Wasted on her! She'd have given it all to Clow!" Her mood affected the power of her spell – it grew again, making the fire mage waver and fall to his knees.

' _Damn… my strength is leaking faster than I… thought… at this rate I will…'_

At least until a third player entered the fray. A shadow grew from behind Eduardo as whoever that was wrapped themselves in a magic cloak – the presence was familiar though _'Pipsqueak alchemist came to play as well…'_ For once he was half thankful for the backup. Orange spilled over red – the alchemist also had fire in his blood.

Before Charlotte could react to Edgar, a dagger was flying with precision from a point slightly beside the Spaniard sorcerer's hips and hitting the hand held mirror right at the center.

The skewered mirror pulsed, before shattering in the blonde's hand. " _Putain de cochon!"_ The blonde snarled, throwing her broken toy to the floor where it clattered – broken glass flying everywhere.

"Parole… what is going on?" The short strawberry blonde boy asked, keeping a watching eye on the cursing Charlotte, who was glaring right back at him.

"You shot a dagger at her without knowing what's happening?" The fire mage had to ask, resisting the urge to face palm – mostly because with the destruction of the mirror, his powers were returning to him.

"Mirror magic is troublesome" His words were drawled, heavy with that weird American accent – though Eduardo wasn't one to judge. His own accent carried his origins quite heavily. "And I aimed at the mirror" The brat pointed out carelessly. _'Now I see why he gets along with Li…'_

"Ugh! Two against one is it?" The crazed mage they have intercepted seemed to have regrouped. She made to move to her closet, and the fire mage answered immediately with a volley of flames in her direction, not caring that he might barbeque her. She's soiled his honor by using him to hurt Teacher's apprentice, and then tried to openly attack him – all but challenging him! Charlotte's eyes widened as flames closed in on her, and within the last possible second, threw herself behind the closet's open door "Let us see how you fair against unfavorable odds"

"Don't let her touch the closet!" Edgar warned, quick mind already coming to the same conclusion as Eduardo. An alchemical circle lit up beneath the brat's feet as he held another dagger – his focus – and a golem made of the same stones as the floor rose up, barely three feet of height.

It was quick though, running half the length of the room on the same span of time it took the fire mage to conjure another fire ball.

Charlotte, in a quick movement, managed to duck inside the closed however… The golem slammed against the old wooden furniture, followed by fire soon after – the very air stilled for a fraction of a second, before the whole room was swallowed by a fiery explosion of stone fragments, wood splinters and pieces of clothes. Acting on instinct, Eduardo raised his sword – _his_ focus – and concentrated his depleting magic on _defense_ , Edgar crouched behind him.

When the debris finished settling in the aftermath of the explosion, both males were able to see the result – Charlotte stood where the closet should be, carrying an armful of little hand mirrors – two of them glowing with a white and brown light… not unscathed, for her dress was ripped and bloodied in places, and a gash ran down the length of her chin to her brow.

" _Réfléchir_ " The blonde coughed, activating what could only be a spell. The mirrors in her arms lit up, and before any of them could blink, the room was filled with copies of Charlotte… just as the one who'd give them all trouble crumbled to the rubble covered floor – dirty blonde hair flashing colors before settling back on a very dark copper.

" _Gilipollas de mierda_ " Edurado cursed under his breath, eyes widening at the downed form lying between broken pieces of masonry and wood. "What have you done you crazy bitch!"

"Why! I also borrowed her body and identity!" One of the Charlottes answered smugly. There were at least eight of them, all holding up a mirror each. "There was no use wasting such a good puppet while it still had some magic, was there? Don't worry, the real Violet is actually slowly being drained inside one of these mirrors… can you take a gamble? If you destroy the wrong one, both Miss Li and Miss Potter will be lost forever"

The little American brat looked impressed as he stared at the multiple copies of Dubois. "How many times have you multiplied yourself?" He even _sounded_ impressed. Eduardo wanted to cuff the brat's head, but didn't want to waste energy.

"A couple of times… I'm sure you're not that interested" One of the Charlottes cooed brightly, her mirror reflecting her mirth. "I was certain you, of all people, would wonder where Xiao Ling's body is"

' _Fuck! She's right! That means she's controlling at least three bodies at once, and now there are eight here… how many is her limit? How many times can she split her attention until it strains?'_ the fire mage's mind whirled with thought, struggling to come up with everything he knew about mirror magic.

' _There has to be a main mirror serving to center all others… that has to be the one the real Dubois is holding, and it is not here'_ That was obvious.

"Tsc… I don't care at all for what happens to that baseborn whore Potter, and if you harm the Li clan's heiress, they will fall upon you with a vengeance, no matter what powers you think you have" Eduardo half bluffed. The Li clan _most certainly_ would chase the heiress' murderer to the ends of the world, and make sure she had no more credibility amongst the families… and he _did_ care for Violet's fate – mostly so he could pay her back – his honor demanded it.

Though Charlotte didn't know that…

Edgar caught up on his train of thought, spiky hair swaying lazily like a hearth's fire. "Let Xiao Ling Li go" He suggested glibly, voice soft and unassuming.

"I don't think so" Another Charlotte bit out "When I'm done with the people in this manor, not even the Li clan will be able to stand in my way" she shot back, lips curling into a mocking smile "Why don't you join the girls? Be good boys, and I will make it quick… kidding! Having your magic sucked out hurts torturously so, I've been told"

Alchemist and battle mage didn't have time to retort, for eight copies of Charlotte descended on them, brandishing their mirror and suckling at their might little by little.

"We need to find the two…" Edgar fended off a blonde by hitting her hand with the handle of his dagger. The Charlotte almost let the mirror fall, but managed to hold onto it by grasping with her other hand. Another blonde picked up a piece of wood, and was trying to stab Eduardo with it.

"I know! But how?" The fire mage dodged a lunge, managing to stay far away from the mirror and avoid seriously hurting another copy – he didn't know which of them might be holding Xiao Ling or Violet in the mirrors – all confirmation he had were that telling white and brown shine from the very beginning. _'Wait…'_ "I know how… Pay attention to the mirror's glow!"

The alchemist nodded, swerving behind Eduardo for cover and pausing to summon more golems. If he had more time to prepare for a fight, he'd have more advantages… as it is, the little guy is stuck on improvising. _'Not bad for a pipsqueak'_

A Charlotte tried to make her way out of the room, but was met with the business end of his blade just as she reached the door. Her mirror pulsed with a dull blue/gray light, he noticed from the corner of his eyes, keeping his attention on more than one enemy.

"There…" Edgar prepared his dagger, aiming it at one of the blondes staying on the far back _'Brown!'_ Eduardo crowed mentally. _'Where is the white one?'_

But it was getting increasingly difficult holding back the eight copies as their magic was continuously being drained.

As if answering their thoughts, one of the mirrors lit up violently with a white light. The blonde menace gasped, as each of her copies were lit up from the inside in a wave of light so pure it staggered them all.

The struggled halted, Charlotte illusions faltering and flickering as cracks formed on the mirrors' surfaces… the one that was liberating such a bright light shattered entirely, liberating a warm white orb that swirled and undulated like smoke. It shimmered and dulled, pulsing slowly and weakly.

Understanding filled Eduardo. _'She's dying!'_ He breathed out sharply, sending a harsh look at Edgar "Keep an eye on them!"

' _Fire can be used for more than destruction…'_ He recited mentally, drawing on the frays of his depleting powers and begging the flames to fawn on the embers that was Violet Potter's life at the moment. Her will to live was staggeringly powerful, it helped – the fire mage darted toward her fallen, broken body and willed on the sacred flames of his soul to let go of all anger and focus on the sanctity of life. _'Fire is life'_

Rough fingers found her pulse, getting slick with the blood leaking from the wound on her face – the ragged cut was shallow enough that it hopefully wouldn't scar, but there were an assortment of other little punctures that _would_. _'I will have to cauterize the worst, since I am so low on magic… focusing on internal damage is a better idea'_ And so he did, pulling out long pieces of splinter from her body and applying fire on the tips of his fingers so she wouldn't bleed out. The sacred flame licked at her insides, painting a grim picture of punctured organs and internal bleeding in his mage eyes.

Violet's bright soul wavered, seemingly growing brighter as her body stabilized. Eduardo continued to heal her, ignoring the smell of charred skin and all the blood coating his hand – soon, the soul was making its way back to the body, as it deemed safe enough to inhabit.

The fire mage sagged, drained beyond belief and relieved above all else. The soul entered through her chest, briefly touching him and flooding Eduardo with _feelings_.

 _Desperation._

 _Pain._

 _Anxiousness._

 _Terror._

And an infinite sense of _Determination._

Just as his own body gave out and he was greeted by darkness, he was able to witness the moment bright green eyes snapped open.

XxxxXxxxX

Yuuko's lips thinned as she approached the manor.

Clow's defenses were up, she's realized, though nothing she wasn't able to overcome by _stepping_ through the layers of reality between the front gate and the front door – she wasn't called the Traveling Witch for nothing… there are no frontiers she isn't able to cross.

"Something is very, very wrong…" The witch thought out loud, throwing open the door. On the foyer, one of the moving servants paused to greet her. "Where is Clow?" She dismissed pleasantries.

"Lord Reed is busy" the maid sniffed disdainfully, irked by Yuuko's abrupt manners. "He's in the library with Mistress, and we are not to interrupt their time together"

' _That old fool…!'_

Yuuko's breath shifted, and on the next moment, she was stalking inside the manor in search of her old, blind friend.

XxxxXxxxX

TBC~

Notes:  
1) Um.. pretend the fighting scene was good? Thanks.  
2) I'm fond of hurting Violet and Clow, aren't I?  
3) And I actually feel sorry for Charlotte... and I kind of am starting to like Eddie Word without meaning to. He's still a cocky asshole though.


End file.
